China still faces "arduous" and "complicated" task of preventing coal mine gas explosions although the national death toll fell by a quarter in the first ten months.

Coal mine gas explosion deaths dropped 22 percent year on year to 551 between January and October, but severe accidents had not been under effective control, a national meeting was told on Wednesday.

The meeting ordered coal mine owners and local authorities to attach greater importance to tightening safety measures as the winter peak season for coal consumption was approaching.

Over the past five years, the government has earmarked more than 100 billion yuan (US$14.71 billion) to contain coalmine gas explosions. Annual deaths were 2,173 from 2001 to 2005. Last year the number dropped to 778.

The latest tragedy took place at the state-owned Xinxing Coal Mine in the northeastern Heilongjiang Province which claimed 108 lives on November 21.

(Xinhua News Agency December 4, 2009)