China's oil pipeline blast toll rises to 52

The deaths in an oil pipeline explosion in Qingdao city in China's Shandong province have climbed to 52, rescuers said Sunday.

According to the rescue agency, four more bodies were found at the blasts site, and reports and investigations showed 11 others were missing in the accident, reports Xinhua.

Rescue efforts continued Sunday despite bad weather, the agency headquarters said.

The blast occurred Friday at the crossing between Haihe and Zhaitangdao road in Huangdao district after oil leaked from a Sinopec pipeline into the municipal pipe network.

The 176-km pipeline, which links oil depots in Huangdao to Weifang city, home to a few petrochemical plants, is owned by Sinopec, China's largest oil refiner.

The pipeline, with a total investment of 1.3 billion yuan ($211.8 million), became operational this August. It has an annual capacity of 15 million tonnes.