CHENGDU, Dec. 23 (Xinhuanet) -- Forty-two people were confirmed dead and 11 others injured in the gas explosion at a road construction site in southwest China's Sichuan Province as of Friday morning, according to the provincial work safety watchdog.

    The blast occurred at 2 p.m. Thursday in a tunnel of a highway under construction between Dujiangyan and Wenchuan cities in the province.

    Most of the victims were construction workers. Thirty-one bodies were found in an overnight search at the blast site, bringing the confirmed death toll up to 42.

    Search and rescue operations are still underway, while medical workers have arrived at the locale to provide one-on-one treatment for the injured.

    The exact number of casualties remains unclear, and the work safety authorities have launched investigation into the cause of the accident. Enditem