Since the blast, six rounds of search and rescue missions have been launched, and the search area has been expanded from 1.1 square kilometers to 2 km, Cao Lubao, mayor of Yancheng, said at a news conference on Sunday afternoon.

He said that more than 4,500 medical workers and 116 ambulances participated in the rescue work. The National Health Commission sent 16 leading experts and Jiangsu sent 65 experts from the province's renowned hospitals to treat the injured.

"As of Sunday noon, 604 victims remain in 16 hospitals. Another 59 people have been discharged after treatment," he said.

Li Shaodong, deputy head of the Jiangsu Commission of Health, said specialized treatment plans have been made for every patient. "Psychologists have also been sent to help the recovery of the patients, their relatives and rescuers."

Workers have been sent to comfort the families of the deceased, including 43 medical workers to accompany senior family members. The bodies will be treated according to ethnic and religious customs, said Li.

Sang Shulou, 36, was discharged from the hospital after receiving treatment on his face. Sang, with long bloody scars on his cheek, mouth and nose, said that he was blessed to have survived the blast that happened just 100 meters away from him.

"I was driving a car passing the explosion site and suddenly felt the car pushed away fiercely by a wave," he said.

According to rescue headquarters, more than 1,600 houses near the explosion site have been repaired, and the remaining houses that suffered slight damage, such as broken windows and doors, will be repaired in a week. Owners of houses beyond repair will get financial compensation or move to newly-established communities.