Chinese rescuers have found the bodies of 14 villagers who were killed last month in the collapse of a dam in northwestern Shaanxi province.
State media said Monday that three other people remain missing from the April 30 accident and chances of their survival are slim.
Authorities say the dam was unauthorized. It was put up by a gold mining company to contain waste from a mine.
The families of all the dam's victims have signed compensation agreements with the company, which will provide them with some $16,000 for each victim.
China's mines are some of the most dangerous in the world. The government has been calling for better adherence to safety standards. China's growing demand for fuel leads some mining companies to disregard those standards.
Some information for this report was provided by AP.
