Beijing, May 3 (IANS): Two officials in China have been sacked following flooding in a coal mine that left nine people dead, the authorities said Thursday.

The two officials who are being held responsible for the coal mine flood in northeast China's Heilongjiang province have been removed from their posts, reported Xinhua.

Sun Qiang, the deputy head of the Xing'an district of the city of Hegang who was responsible for work safety in the district, was removed from office after Wednesday's flood.

Also dismissed was Lu Shouxiang, director of the district's coal mine safety supervision bureau.

Nine people died and five remain trapped following a flood that occurred in a mine shaft in the Junyuan No. 2 Coal Mine in the Xing'an district of Hegang, rescuers said early Thursday.

A total of 28 miners were working in the pit when floodwaters inundated the shaft at about 7 a.m. Wednesday. Fourteen of the miners were saved by 11 p.m.