Nine people missing after a blast in an explosives plant in Zhaoyuan, a city in east China's Shandong Province on Saturday, were confirmed dead, bringing the total death toll to 29, Xinhua News Agency said.

Another two people were injured in the accident and were sent to hospital; they are now in a stable condition.

The blast occurred on Saturday morning at a packing workshop at No 761 Explosive Co Ltd in Liuxian Village, while 31 people were working at the site. The cause of the blast is still under investigation.

Meanwhile, 10 people were killed and 21 were injured when a bus plunged off a rural road in southwest China's Yunnan Province on Sunday. The accident happened in Yongren County in Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, local government officials told Xinhua.

The bus was heading from Yongxing Township to the county seat when it plunged down a 90-metre slope after failing to take a sharp turn.

Nine people died instantly and one seriously injured person died later.

The 21 injured people are receiving medical treatment and are in a stable condition, a county government spokesman told Xinhua.

In another vehicle accident, six people were killed yesterday morning in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Xinhua said.

The accident occurred at about 8:00 AM yesterday when a tip truck carrying 18 workers fell into a valley, 120 kilometres from the autonomous regional capital Lhasa.

According to local police, six people were died at the scene, while 12 others were injured including nine who are in a serious condition.

(China Daily April 5, 2006)