Chinese authorities on Monday confirmed that the number of deaths from the Tianjin explosion has now reached 114, while around 70 persons are still unaccounted for. Meanwhile, residents of nearby apartment complexes have staged a rally demanding compensation from the government for the damages to their homes.

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Xinhua reported that the discovery of two more bodies on Monday put the death toll to 114. Tianjin's local government spokesperson Gong Jiansheng said that more than half of the fatalities are yet to be identified.

Among the dead are 39 firemen sent to battle the blaze on the night of August 12. Most of the missing people are also firefighters.

Rescue workers revealed that they have searched through a gauntlet of twisted shipping containers.

Meanwhile, CNN reported that People's Liberation Army General Shi Luze said it is doubtful there are any remaining survivors. He believes that more fatalities will be discovered instead.

The explosion that rocked Tianjin is reported to be the equivalent of several tons of TNT. It injured almost a thousand people, while thousandshave been deprived of their homes.

Tianjin residents, whose homes were destroyed by the warehouse explosion, have staged a protest demanding to know why local government officials allowed a storage facility filled with toxic chemicals be placed in an area surrounded by residential apartment complexes, according to BBC.

The protestors are demanding that the government compensates them for the damages. Many are reluctant to return to their homes due to fears of contamination. A number of them have also been traumatized by the loss of loved ones and neighbors in the explosion.

One of the dangerous materials stored in the warehouse owned Ruihai logistics company is sodium cyanide. Any person who breathes in or ingests this chemical usually dies due to oxygen deprivation.

While it is dangerous to humans, this chemical has various industrial uses ranging from manufacturing to mining.

It can easily be dissolved in water and its dust particles are so tiny making it breathable. A dangerous gas called hydrogen cyanide is released once the chemical is dissolved in water or subjected to fire.

Staging public protest is not a usual occurrence in China, but the magnitude of the damage and the disregard for the basic safety rules - which led to the explosion - may have convinced Beijing to let the demonstrators vent their feelings.

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