China Tianjin blasts: Toyota and John Deere halt operations in northern city

Automaker Toyota and heavy equipment manufacturer John Deere have halted their operations near China's port of Tianjin, where huge explosions killed 114 people and injured 700.

Toyota, whose 50 staff were injured in the blasts, said its plant would be closed until the end of 19 August, while John Deere stalled operations indefinitely.

The Japanese automaker noted that the explosions came during holidays for the company, and therefore they did not affect its three production lines near the affected area.

"However, due to ongoing evacuation advisories, none of the three lines at Tianjin FAW Toyota Motor Co Ltd" will be in operation between 17 and 19 August, the company said.

US-based John Deere, which manufactures agricultural, construction, and forestry machinery, diesel engines and lawn care equipment, said it was halting work near Tianjin indefinitely after some of its employees were injured and several buildings were damaged in the blasts.

The John Deere plant in Tianjin makes agricultural and construction equipment as well as engines for the Asian markets.

Meanwhile, the Tianjin port authority said operations at the port had returned to normal following the warehouse blasts on 12 August. The Tianjin Binhai New Area industrial park has played a major role in transforming the northern city into one of China's fastest growing areas.

The government is continuing search and rescue operations and cleaning up hundreds of tons of toxic cyanide at the site while closely monitoring the environment, according to a report by the official Xinhua news agency.