Eating mice and “living creatures” .. He remained alive 17 years underground in a mine that was hit by a devastating earthquake

worker after being rescued.

An incredible surprise occurred when a team of miners from China's western Xinjiang province were excavating an area in a section of an old mine that was abandoned 17 years ago after an earthquake caused large sections of the tunnels to collapse.

While digging, they found a 59-year-old miner who survived the collapsed mine after an accident in 1997.

The miner was exhausted and was immediately taken to hospital for a thorough evaluation of his physical and mental condition.

Miner Zhang remained trapped underground after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake in the area caused the mine to collapse.

Zhang managed to survive due to the fact that the ventilation ducts remained in the part of the mine where he found himself, allowing air access and helping to keep him alive.

He was also able to survive thanks to emergency supplies of rice and water stored in an underground warehouse, which were made available specially for such an occasion.

The man supplemented his diet by catching and eating the mice that lived in the mine, as well as collecting large amounts of some phosphorous organisms that were the source of the vitamins.

Mine accidents are still common in China, despite increased government measures to curb such disasters, which kill more than 4,000 miners annually.

What happened is the unique and incredible case of miner Zhang, who survived 17 years in a collapsed mine.

The previous record for staying underground was 142 days and belonged to a Briton named Jeff Smith who voluntarily buried himself in the courtyard of his favorite pub, with the intent of setting a record. Now Zhang has broken that record.

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