Rescue workers are searching for nine miners reported missing after a gas leak in a coalmine in central China's Hunan Province early Wednesday.

The incident occurred at about 9:00 AM at the Xincheng Coal Mine in Leiyang City. Eight miners had been rescued from the mine by 12:30 PM, said Li Ming, deputy mayor of Leiyang City.

Preliminary investigations showed that nine miners were still trapped underground, Li said.

The cause of the leak is being investigated.

(Xinhua News Agency November 8, 2006)