QITAIHE, Heilongjiang, Nov. 30 (Xinhuanet) -- The death toll of the northeast China coal mine blast rose to 161 as of 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, while ten others were still missing, said the rescuers.

    The death toll was composed of ten miners who were found dead on Wednesday afternoon, 149 others who were confirmed killed underground earlier and two people who died in the ground generator room.

    By press time, the whereabouts of the ten miners are still unknown.

    The blast went off at 9:40 p.m. Sunday at the Dongfeng Coal Mine run by the Qitaihe branch of the Longmei Mining (Group) Co., Ltd. in Heilongjiang Province.

    The rescue operation immediately started after the accident and72 miners were successfully saved.

    Earlier reports said 221 miners were working underground when the blast occurred but the source with the Provincial Bureau of Production Safety Supervision Administration said the number was inaccurate.

    Related investigation is going on. Enditem