China reports fewer coal mine accidents, deaths

The safety conditions of China's coal production continued to improve, with fewer accidents and deaths in the first seven months of the year, the country's top coal mine safety watchdog said on Tuesday.

China saw 63 coal mine accidents in the Jan.-July period, in which 88 people died, dropping by 39.4 percent and 51.1 percent year on year, respectively, according to the National Coal Mine Safety Administration.

No severe coal mine accidents were reported during the period, it said.

In the first half of the year, the country's coal mine safety supervisory agencies made 8,016 inspection tours to coal mines, completing 54.4 percent of the annual plan, it said.