CHONGQING, Dec. 25 (Xinhuanet) -- The death toll from an explosionin a natural gas field in southwest China's Chongqing Municipalityon Tuesday has risen to 163, according to Chongqing municipal government at 17:30.

    The tragedy occurred at 10 p.m. at Chuandongbei gas field in Kaixian County, when a well burst suddenly and released a high concentration of natural gas and sulfurated hydrogen about 30 meters high.

    The blowout happened at a major gas field in southwest China, which has a storage capacity of 50 to 60 billion tons of natural gas. It is run by Sichuan Petroleum Administration under the ChinaNational Petroleum Corporation.

    Operations were going normally before the gas suddenly explodedfrom the side of the drill when it went through the well 208 meters from the drill site, said Qian Zhijia, deputy head of the gas field.

    He said the blowout should be completely under control by 10 p.m. Friday.

    Top municipal government officials have led teams from medical,civil affairs, public security and transportation departments. Residents within five square kilometers had been evacuated, said Wang Duanping, vice-governor of the county. Enditem