Rescuers have found signs of life from 11 people who were trapped after a cave-in in a mine pit in southwest China's Yunnan Province Saturday, local authorities said Sunday.

As of 10 a.m. on Sunday, rescuers excavated an 80-meter-long tunnel. Some ventilation equipments in the mine are still operating, said a spokesperson with publicity department of Lianghe County of Dehong prefecture.

The spokesperson said detectors have found life signs from the trapped miners.

The accident happened at around 1 p.m. at a stannum mine in Lianghe County on Saturday. Local authorities attributed the accident to continuous downpour in the county.

Large machines are unable to be used in the narrow mine. Nearly 500 rescuers are racing to save the miners.