Rescuers early Sunday deployed mine inspection robots underground to assist search efforts, as rescue efforts continued on Sunday, after a gas explosion trapped 247 workers at the Liushenyu coal mine operated by Shanxi Tongzhou Group in Qinyuan County, North China's Shanxi Province on Friday, leaving 82 people dead, two missing and 128 injured as of Saturday night press conference, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

The robots are equipped with gas sensors and real-time cameras, enabling it to enter areas inaccessible to rescuers to collect data and information. Rescue personnel also descended into the mine to operate the robots underground, Xinhua reported.

The rescue command headquarters for the Liushenyu coal mine explosion in Shanxi said the priority on Sunday is to conduct repeated underground search operations, particularly re-searching areas that have already been covered, to ensure no location is missed. A total of 335 professional rescuers and 420 medical personnel have been deployed at the scene to continue all-out efforts to search for the missing, according to China Central Television.

Another report by China Central Television on Sunday showed that the public notice board recording underground personnel indicated that 124 people had entered the mine at the time of the explosion. However, after verification by multiple parties, the actual number of people underground was found to be 247, with 123 individuals lacking valid information in the system.

Officials said at the press conference on Saturday that among the 128 injured, 124 sustained minor injuries, two were seriously injured and two remained in critical condition, all of whom are receiving treatment.

Latest updates showed that the two severely injured patients receiving treatment at Changzhi People's Hospital are currently in stable condition, and 124 patients with minor injuries had been transferred to tertiary hospitals for close observation and treatment,according to Xinhua's report.

So far, seven rescue and medical teams comprising 755 personnel have been mobilized overnight to carry out search-and-rescue operations and treat the injured, Xinhua reported.

The frontline rescue headquarters said five rescuers wearing waterproof suits had entered deeper sections of the tunnels, but collapses and flooding inside the mine were making rescue work extremely difficult.

Shanxi has activated its medical emergency response mechanism, coordinating local medical resources and dispatching provincial medical experts to assist frontline rescue and treatment efforts.

China's National Health Commission organized multidisciplinary remote consultations involving trauma and intensive care specialists from Peking University People's Hospital and respiratory experts to optimize treatment plans. Three specialists from Beijing were also dispatched to the scene to support rescue and treatment efforts.

Regarding the explosion, the State Council investigation team said it would conduct a thorough probe into the cause of the accident, including local management, industry supervision and corporate responsibility, and vowed to impose severe punishment in accordance with the law. The company's actual controller and relevant executives have already been placed under compulsory measures.

Post-accident handling work is also underway.

Under the current plan, local authorities will establish dedicated task forces to work one-on-one with affected families, verify household information and provide emotional support and psychological counseling. Authorities will also advance compensation-related work and focus on assisting elderly, and vulnerable and financially struggling family members with practical difficulties and daily care needs.