Forty of the 52 workers trapped in a flooded rail tunnel under construction in central China's Hubei Province have so far been rescued Sunday, Aug. 5, 2007.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    ENSHI, Hubei Province, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- Forty of the 52 workers trapped in a flooded rail tunnel under construction in central China's Hubei Province have so far been rescued, sources with local work safety officials said on Sunday.

    The flooding accident occurred at around 3 a.m. Sunday at the Yesanguan rail tunnel in Enshi Autonomous Prefecture of Tujia and Miao nationalities. A total of 52 workers were trapped in the tunnel.

    Earlier reports said 38 workers were trapped in the accident. Now, more than 150 rescuers are searching for the 12 workers still trapped in the tunnel.

    Those rescued are under medical treatment in hospital.

    According to rescue officials, they have made contact with the trapped workers in the tunnel and they are in stable condition with no imminent life danger.

    Rescuers said the accident happened at a slope inside the tunnel, 240 meters away from the tunnel mouth, where rain water can easily go in.

    At 1 a.m. Sunday, rain water began to pour into the tunnel with a speed of 40,00 to 50,000 cubic meters per hour and caused the collapse of the earthwork and trapped the workers.

    More than 300 officials rushed to the site after the accident. Hubei Provincial Party chief Yu Zhengsheng and provincial governor Luo Qingquan called for all-out efforts to free the trapped workers from the flooded tunnel.

    Three water pumps are being used to drain out the water in the tunnel. With boats, life Buoys and medical instrument, rescuers are searching for the trapped workers in the flooded area.

    The 14-km-long tunnel is the longest of the 121 tunnels along the Yiwan Railway, which links Yichang City in Hubei Province with Wanzhou in Chongqing Municipality, southwest China.

    The 377-km-long Yiwan Railway cost an investment of 16.7 billion yuan (2.2 billion U.S. dollars). Its construction started in January 2004 and is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2008.

    The double-track railway is designed for passenger trains running at the speed of up to 160 km per hour.

    Heavy rains have triggered severe flooding and mudslides in many parts of central China in the past few weeks.