The Chongqing Municipal branch of China Life Insurance (Group) Company Saturday issued the first batch of compensation to the families of victims of the chlorine leak blasts in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality.

The compensation of 16,761 yuan (2,019 US dollars) will be paidto the families of eight victims who are dead or missing in the blasts and who were insured by China Life.

The families of all nine people found dead or missing in the accident will receive a total of 23,000 yuan (2,771 US dollars) incompensation from other sources and the plant will receive 50 million yuan (six million US dollars), according to the municipal branch of China Insurance Regulatory Commission.

The chlorine leak began Thursday night at the Tianyuan ChemicalIndustry Plant in Jiangbei District and was followed by powerful explosions at Friday afternoon, releasing a high concentration of highly irritating, greenish-yellow chlorine gas.

In addition to the nine dead or missing, three people were alsoinjured.

Source: Xinhua