CNPC Gas Pipeline Blast Kills 8, Injures 35

BEIJING, July 2 (Reuters) - At least eight people died and another 35 were injured in a natural gas pipeline explosion in southwest China's Guizhou Province on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported.

The explosion occurred at around 10 a.m. local time (0300 GMT) in Qinglong County at a pipeline operated by China National Petroleum Corp, triggered by a landslide after days of heavy rain.

Xinhua said earlier that the gas line was an extension of a pipeline that pumped gas from neighbouring Myanmar to southwest China and that the fire was put out in the afternoon.

Four of the injured are in critical condition, it said.

(Reporting by Chen Aizhu; Editing by Dale Hudson)