Beijing ? A coal mine flooded in southern China, trapping 102 miners more than 1,000 feet underground as rescuers today used water pumps in an effort to reach them. There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries.

The accident occurred this afternoon in a tunnel 1,378 feet underground at the privately owned Daxing Colliery in Meizhou City in Guangdong province, the official Xinhua News Agency said, citing a local official.

President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao, both of whom have promised stronger efforts to improve mine safety, had ordered local authorities to “take substantial steps and spare no efforts” to save the trapped miners.

Local officials contacted by telephone today refused to comment on the accident. The provincial work safety bureau also refused telephone inquiries, while calls to the national work safety administration went unanswered.

Rescuers were drawing water out of the mine with pumps, said Xinhua, citing a city government official at the scene.

Local government officials ordered coal mines in the city to suspend operations for a safety examination, Xinhua said.