The death toll from massive warehouse explosions in north China's Tianjin Municipality rose to 50 Thursday evening, 17 of whom were firemen, local authorities said.

Earlier reports said 12 were firemen.

The Tianjin Port Group Co. said dozens of its employees were unaccounted for and a search operation is under way.

Meanwhile, 701 others were admitted to hospitals, and of them, more than 70 are in critical condition, the city's publicity department said.

(Xinhua News Agency August 13, 2015)