(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –The death toll in a huge blast at a chemical plant in eastern China has jumped to 47, with 90 badly injured, according to state news agency Xinhua.
The powerful explosion followed a fire at the factory which produces fertiliser.
China’s earthquake administration reported a tremor equivalent to 2.2-magnitude at the time of the blast.
The death toll makes it one of the country’s worst industrial accidents in recent years.
The blast happened at about 14:50 local time (06:50 GMT) on Thursday at a plant in Yancheng, run by Tianjiayi Chemical.
According to Xinhua, a total of 640 people were sent to hospital. Many were in critical condition and dozens had severe injuries, the agency reports.
