Torrential rain that lasted for almost five days straight has forced China’s coal hub to close 60 coal mines, piling further pressure on the country already grappling with a power crunch. The downpower that struck 11 cities in northern China’s Shanxi Province has triggered flooding and landslides, destroying railway lines and bridges, and causing fatalities. The provincial weather agency said on Oct. 10 that showers will continue the next 10 days. Heavy rain beginning on Oct. 2 has suspended 60 coal mines, 372 other mines, 14 hazardous-chemical enterprises, and over 1,000 constructing projects, the Shanxi government said in a notice on Oct. 8. The halts lay additional stress as the country scrambles to produce more coal to stem a deepening power crisis.  Shanxi is the country’s top coal-producing province, with production accounting for more than a quarter of the national total in 2020. Around two-thirds of the country’s electricity comes …