HOHHOT - Four miners have been trapped after a coal mine pit collapsed late Monday night in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, local authorities said Tuesday.

The accident occurred around 11:54 pm at the Huangyuchuan coal mine, located in the township of Xuejiawan in Jungar Banner. The mine is owned by Shenhua Yili Energy Co, Ltd.

Rescue operations are under way.

China's mining industry is plagued by frequent accidents due to poor safety measures and lax supervision.

The accident occurred on the same day when five people choked to death after inhaling poisonous gas underground in a pyrite mine in central China's Hunan Province.

On Saturday, flooding at an iron mine in Northeast China's Liaoning province left five workers trapped. Rescuers have yet to locate the miners.