At least seven miners were killed when a coal mine collapsed in northwest Pakistan.
Two more miners were still missing after heavy rain caused the collapse of a coal mine on March 12 in the Orakzai tribal district, a largely lawless tribal area along the Afghan border.
Zubair Khan, the top government official in the district, said 26 miners were rescued, but the rescue effort was being hampered by heavy rain.
A military statement issued late on March 12 said more than 100 troops from the army and the paramilitary Frontier Corps were helping operate heavy machinery at the site and providing medical support.
Pakistani mines are notorious for poor safety standards and bad ventilation.
At least 43 workers were killed in March 2011 when explosions triggered a collapse in a coal mine in southwestern Balochistan Province, which is rich in gas, oil, and mineral deposits.