Death toll rises to 13 in a coal mine accident in central China

BEIJING (AP) — The death toll has risen to 13 in a coal mine accident in central China. The official Xinhua News Agency said Sunday that three people remain missing after Friday’s accident in the city of Pingdingshan in Henan Province. Xinhua said that preliminary investigation indicates the cause was a coal and gas explosion. China had a series of fatal coal mine accidents last year despite years-long efforts to improve mine safety. Coal remains a major source of electricity in the country, even as China far outpaces the rest of the world in installing solar and wind facilities to combat climate change.