Rescuers increased to 1,500 Friday, searching for survivors in villages hit by toxic gas caused by a blowout Tuesday in a gas field in Chongqing Municipality.

The rescuers, made up of police, armed police, firemen and locals, were divided into 82 groups with each having at least one local guide, an ambulance and a vehicle.

So far, 191 people have been confirmed dead since the blowout occurred on Tuesday night. The search will cover an area with a diameter of 10 kilometers circling the disaster site.

Road conditions in the mountainous area are difficult. Before setting off, fire engines, ambulances and vehicles with relief materials first convened in the morning and the site showed three distinct colors, red for gas field staff, green for armed police and black for police.

By 10 a.m. Friday, the rescue teams had passed through the center of the gas blowout and headed for other places.

Close

Today's Top News		Top National News
+Gas blowout created 25-sq-km "death zone" ( 2003-12-26) +Official: Iran quake death toll 'very high' ( 2003-12-26) +President: China spares no efforts for reunification ( 2003-12-26) +Electricity price hike in new year ( 2003-12-26) +Official: AIDS toll in Jilin exaggerated ( 2003-12-26)		+China-made unmanned plane makes maiden flight ( 2003-12-26) +Major gas field blowouts in China ( 2003-12-26) +Rescuers comb for victims of toxic gas leak ( 2003-12-26) +CPC marks 110th anniversary of late Chairman Mao's birth ( 2003-12-26) +Serial killer executed for murdering 17 children ( 2003-12-26)