13 miners who were trapped underground have been rescued from a severely flooded coal mine in southwestern China's Sichuan Province after 86 hours.

The first miner was taken out at around 5:55 a.m local time on Wednesday. They have all been sent to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Details of how the miners survived underground are expected to be revealed in the coming days.

During the past few days, rescuers have tried every possible means to pump the floodwater out of the tunnels in the critical operation.

The cause of the accident remains unclear. China's Emergency Management Ministry has ordered local authorities to announce the cause as soon as possible and hold related people accountable.

The accident happened at the Shanmushu Coal Mine in the city of Yibin on Saturday afternoon. A total of 18 miners were trapped, leading to five deaths.