A blast at a coal mine killed at least 34 workers in southern Pakistan, the provincial disaster agency said on Friday, adding rescuers were searching for more missing miners. The explosion, caused by methane gas, tore through the mine near the capital of the resource-rich province of Balochistan on Thursday, sparking a rescue operation that ran into the night. "According to information received from the deployed teams, 34x Dead bodies have been recovered," southern Balochistan's provincial disaster management authority said in a statement in the early hours of Friday. "The joint rescue operation is still underway to locate and recover the remaining trapped miners," it added, without specifying how many were in the mine when the explosion took place. Mining accidents are common in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan. Pakistan's poorest province and largest by landmass, Balochistan lags behind the rest of the country in almost every index, including education, employment and economic development.Rescue teams continued searching underground for miners who may still be trapped.The blast struck a mine complex in the Sorang area near Quetta, the provincial capital, where miners were working deep underground. Balochistan's Provincial Disaster Management Authority said teams had recovered 34 bodies from the mine and were continuing search and recovery operations.The disaster unfolded Thursday when an explosion ripped through the mine, reportedly triggering a collapse and cutting off sections of the underground workings. Earlier reports put the number of miners trapped underground at 10, but the death toll rose as rescuers reached deeper sections of the mine.Methane explosion suspectedOfficials said the blast was likely caused by a buildup of methane gas, a persistent hazard in underground coal mines. Methane can accumulate in poorly ventilated workings and ignite when exposed to a spark or other ignition source, producing a devastating explosion.Rescuers have been working under extremely difficult conditions, with parts of the mine collapsed and oxygen levels potentially depleted. The operation has involved disaster-management teams, mining officials and local workers attempting to clear debris and reach affected sections.The mine's collapsed passages were reportedly located thousands of feet underground, making the rescue operation particularly dangerous and technically challenging.Pakistan's deadly mining safety problemThe tragedy has again highlighted longstanding concerns over mine safety in Balochistan, one of Pakistan's major coal-producing regions.Coal miners in the province frequently work in deep, hazardous pits where inadequate ventilation, insufficient gas monitoring, weak structural supports and limited emergency equipment can turn accidents into mass-casualty disasters.The Pakistan Central Mines Labour Federation has previously raised concerns about safety standards and has blamed negligence for some deadly mining accidents. Following the latest blast, officials pledged an investigation into what caused the explosion and whether safety rules were followed.Balochistan authorities have also announced compensation of 500,000 Pakistani rupees — about $1,800 — for each miner killed, according to reports.Rescue operation continuesAuthorities have not yet ruled out the possibility that additional miners could be missing. Rescue crews are continuing to search the mine and recover victims while working cautiously because of the risk of further collapses and dangerous gases.The final death toll could therefore rise as rescuers gain access to previously inaccessible sections.The disaster is among the latest in a series of fatal mining accidents in Pakistan, where coal remains an important source of employment in impoverished parts of Balochistan despite the industry's notoriously dangerous working conditions.