BEIJING - China's top work safety supervisor on Tuesday asked local governments to guard against any natural disasters that may cause deadly accidents in workplaces across the country.

The Work Safety Commission of the State Council, or China's cabinet, asked local governments to "learn a lesson" from recent coal mine accidents, many of which were triggered by floods, the State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS) said in a statement posted on its website.

Concrete measures should be taken to avoid coal mine accidents that may result from heavy rains, floods and landslides, the statement said.

Twenty-four miners remained trapped underground after an iron ore mine flooded in East China's Shandong province Sunday night.

Heavy rains and a drainage system breakdown have been blamed for a coal mine flood that trapped 23 workers underground on July 2 in Southwest China's Guizhou province, local authorities said.

Rescuers in both provinces are continuing to search for the trapped miners.