CCTV9英语新闻：对翻船事故遇难者举行葬礼（在线收听）

Funerals for the victims of the Eastern Star ship tragedy are being held at the Rongcheng funeral home in Jianli County, Hubei province. Dozens of morticians are helping with the funeral arrangements. 

Encoffiners move a body of the victims of the capsized ship accident at the funeral parlour in Jianli, central China's Hubei Province, June 9, 2015. Local encoffiners hold encoffination ceremonies Tuesday for victims of the capsized ship Eastern Star, which was carrying 456 people onboard on an 11-day trip along the Yangtze River when it was overturned by a tornado on June 1 in Jianli. [Photo: Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu]

Since Monday, the Rongcheng funeral home has been the scene of many a funeral service—at least 60 by Wednesday afternoon. 

"These victims were from various places and their families share different funeral traditions. We are trying our best to communicate with the families and meet their requirements as much as possible," said Liu Zhuang, funeral director, Jianli County, Hubei province. 

Dozens of morticians from Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei province, have been doing their best. 

"We have to kneel down on the floor for a long time as we work on the victims, as we have to restore the bodies into their normal shape so that they can fit into the coffin. The work has been intense," said Cai Dongmei, mortician, Wuhan Wuchang Funeral Home. 

Many volunteers from a nearby social work college have also joined in the effort. More than 100 people have been working at the Rongcheng funeral home in Jianli.

The local civil affairs bureau said that by Tuesday, the funeral home had received 219 bodies.

Local officials say all funeral services for victims of the ship sinking will be provided free of charge. And families can either leave their relatives’ remains with the funeral home or bring them back home for burial.