Multiple people dead in northern China coal mine explosion

At least 11 people have been killed in a coal mine explosion in northern China, a reminder of the country's continued dependence on the energy source, authorities said.

The blast occurred late on Monday on the outskirts of the historic city of Yan’an in mountainous Shaanxi province, where mining has long been a key driver of the local economy.

A total of 90 miners were in the shaft at the time of the explosion, which is still under investigation, the provincial Department of Emergency Management reported on social media.

The accident was the deadliest since the February collapse of an open-pit mine in the northern region of Inner Mongolia that killed more than 50.

Officials as high as Chinese leader Xi Jinping have called for safety improvements, but that seems to have had a limited effect on mining operations that frequently cut corners while local officials turn a blind eye.