TAIYUAN - Rescuers have managed to contact on Sunday night eight of the 12 people trapped in a coal mine in North China's Shanxi Province after it was flooded on Saturday night.

Eight people trapped in the mine shaft in Jincheng City have been reached by phone, the rescue headquarters told Xinhua at 8:30 pm on Sunday. Rescuers are still searching for the four others.

The flooding occurred at around 10:53 pm Saturday when 94 people were working in the shaft, 82 of whom were evacuated.