Rescuers search for two still missing after China mine blast kills 82

Rescuers in northern China searched on Sunday for two people still missing after a gas explosion killed 82 in a mine that authorities said was beset by serious safety violations.



The blast at the Liushenyu shaft in Shanxi province on Friday was the country's worst mining disaster in nearly two decades, with 247 workers underground at the time.



Relatives anxiously waiting by a checkpoint blocking the road leading to the mine on Sunday, hoping for news of their loved ones.



Authorities launched an investigation into the blast, saying preliminary findings showed the Tongzhou Group operating the mine had committed "serious illegal violations".



More than half of the workers in the shaft on Friday had gone down without being properly registered, state media said, citing a personnel board at the site.



The miners are normally required to undergo facial recognition checks or take location-tracking cards before their descent.