Death Toll In Jiangsu Factory Blast Jumps To 78

The death toll from the Jiangsu chemical factory explosion jumped to 78 after authorities declared on Monday that that they have come across another 14 bodies.

More than 500 people are still in hospital. Among them, 13 are critically injured and 66 are seriously injured, local officials said.

Xinhua news agency also quoted the mayor of Yancheng city as saying so far 56 of the bodies have been identified.

State Council member Wang Yong and a team of officials from Beijing are now scheduled to arrive at the province in eastern China to guide the local authorities.

The Ministry of Ecology and Environment said in Beijing that it has already deployed a team to work on treating contaminated water at the site. Local officials added that air quality in the area is safe thanks to high winds.

The ten schools which were closed after the blast have also been reopened. The education authorities said the doors and windows at the schools which were shattered in the Thursday explosions have been fixed.

Meanwhile, a volunteer from a local environmental group who expressed concerns about the explosion has been arrested.

Media reports said that Zhang Wenbin, who criticised local authorities for refusing to evacuate nearby residents after the blast and warned about the possible risks of contamination, had been taken away for investigation. (Additional reporting by AFP)