Ninety people have been seriously injured after a gas leak in Zhanjiang in South China's Guangdong Province.

It is the latest in a spate of weekend incidents which include a separate coal mine gas explosion in Hunan Province and another coal mine accident in Shanxi Province.

At least 10 people are believed dead and up to eight remain trapped underground following the two coal mine incidents.

The 90 in Zhanjiang were injured after inhaling harmful gas caused by leakage of high-concentration vitriol on Saturday morning.

It was around 11:30 am that residents living near the Huangguan Chemical Co Ltd, five kilometres from the downtown area of Zhanjiang, reported smelling the substance.

The smell came from a storage tank containing two tons of vitriol, with a concentration of 98 per cent.

It is believed vitriol leaked out from a crack in a storage tank resulting in the production of heavy smoke and harmful gas after the acid met with rainwater.

Local government officials arrived within 15 minutes. Soldiers from the navy were also mobilized to help handle the disaster.

The victims, most of whom are local residents, are now being treated in three hospitals for a variety of injuries including throat, chest and lung damage.

Doctors say the condition of most of the victims is improving, although nine are still classed as critical. A special medical team consisting of experts from the Beijing-based General Logistics Department of the People's Liberation Army, who reached Zhanjiang on Sunday, are working with local doctors.

China Daily news