Families of the BGRIMM explosion victims have received checks worth 500,000 US dollars, a donation from the Chinese government presented by the Zambian government, local media at Lusaka reported Saturday.

Copperbelt Province official Gabriel Namulambe on Friday presented the checks to more than 40 families in Chambeshi area, saying each family received a check of 47,831,633 Zambian kwacha (about 10,000 dollars), the Zambia Daily Mail said.

"The Chinese government has donated 500,000 dollars to the bereaved families which translates into more than 2 billion kwacha," said Namulambe at the handover ceremony in Chambeshi council offices, commending the Chinese government for the donation.

Spokesperson for the families, Immanuel Kasongo, said that the Chinese government's honoring of the pledge has overwhelmed all members of the bereaved families.

More than 40 people were killed in an explosion in April at the BGRIMM Explosives (Zambia) Ltd., partly owned by a Chinese company.

Source: Xinhua