The main container area at Tianjin port has been cleared as piles of damaged containers have been removed from the blast area, Tianjin government said in a release.

Following the removal of “mountain high” piles of containers the workers on site proceeded with the decontamination activities on the ground.

In addition, buildings located in the core blast area have been leveled down and activities are in full swing to clear out the remaining steel structures and debris left from the blast, the government said, adding that the clean-up work is about to be completed.

Two huge explosions took place in a warehouse area in the port district in the Binhai New Area of Tianjin on August 12th. The blasts were equivalent to 3 tonnes of TNT and 21 tonnes of TNT respectively. Vast areas of the port were devastated in the blasts that killed a total of 163 people, mostly firefighters, according to the latest official government data. Ten more people remain missing.

Thousands of residents hit by the deadly blasts are reported by local media to have rejected the local government’s compensatory offer to either repair their homes or ask private firms to take over the properties at a price 1.3 times their market value deeming it unsatisfactory.

It is estimated that around 17,000 homes have been affected by the blast.

Talks on compensation process remain under way.

(From: World Maritime News)