Coal mine blast devastates life of many in C China

A man screams in protest after he was prevented from entering the compound of the Daping coal mine near Xinmi in central China's Henan province yesterday. Wives, mothers and fathers of missing or dead Chinese miners had come from all over the region -- some travelling hundreds of kilometers -- to a "reception" area set up for victims' families. PHOTO: AFP

"I don't know what I'm going to do," said the woman, who only gave her surname Li. "Our son is only eight years old."

She had not seen her husband since he left for work on Wednesday at the Daping mine, which was devastated by a huge gas explosion that left 66 people dead and a further 84 missing.

Like many relatives tearfully gathered at the mine in Wuzhuang village Friday, Li is preparing for the worst.

Wives, mothers and fathers of missing or dead villagers had come from all over the region -- some travelling hundreds of kilometers (miles) -- to a "reception" area set up for victims' families.