Officials have said that flooding in a North China coal mine has left 33 dead and missing.

The state-run news agency Xinhua reported on Monday that there were 115 miners lifted out alive after being trapped underground in the Wangjialing mine for more than a week.

A total of 261 miners had been trapped on March 28 after workers broke into an unused shaft that had filled with groundwater. The water then flooded the mine.

CNN reported that rescuers had been able to save 108 people immediately after the accident.

It was further reported by CNN that in China, mine accidents are common.

According to official reports, such accidents claimed 2,631 lives in 2009. (With Inputs from Agencies)