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Blast in Shan State
A blast in a rebel-held area of northern Myanmar killed dozens of people, including children, after mining explosives stored in a building in Kaungtad village in Namkham Township, Shan State detonated on May 31 local time.
“Dozens of people have been killed in an explosion in northeast Myanmar near the border with China, local media and a rebel group have said”
Chosunbiz said rescue teams recovered at least 46 bodies, including six children, and tallied 74 injuries while local media and the BBC reported the death toll had risen to more than 55.
Al Jazeera reported that at least 46 people, including six children, were killed and more than 70 wounded due to a blast at an explosives depot in Kaung Tat in Shan State, while a rescue worker told Shwe Phee Myay that 55 people were killed.
The BBC said the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) controls the area and explosives used in mining and quarrying had gone off, with the 'accidental explosion' occurring around 12:00 local time (05:30 GMT) on Sunday, according to a TNLA statement quoted by AFP.
TNLA statement and witnesses
The TNLA confirmed the explosion in a Facebook statement and said the stored explosives was used in mining operations, while adding that an investigation into the cause of the blast was under way and those responsible would be held accountable.
Al Jazeera quoted the TNLA as saying the incident resulted in “numerous casualties” among local residents without providing an exact figure, as rescue operations continued after the blast at around 12:30pm local time (05:50 GMT).
A resident quoted by the BBC wrote, “By sheer luck, my phone saved my life,” describing being in her bedroom eating noodles when the blast struck.
The BBC also quoted another line from the same resident: “People were crying, calling out for their parents,” as she said it “felt as if the world had come to an end.”
Casualties, damage, and fallout
Casualty figures varied across outlets as the BBC said at least 55 people died and wounded dozens more, while DW said rescuers cited by the Associated Press reported between 40 and 46 killed and AFP sources put casualties between 46 and 59.
“A devastating explosion has killed at least 55 people and wounded dozens more in a village in Myanmar under insurgent control, the BBC has been told”
DW reported that Namhkam Hospital faced an acute shortage of blood supplies to treat the injured, and it said rescue workers were continuing to search for people buried under the rubble.
The BBC said footage showed a vast crater of earth and rubble surrounded by shattered buildings, with smoke still drifting from charred debris and twisted trees, and it added that hundreds of homes had been damaged, affecting almost an entire neighborhood.
In its own statement, the TNLA said, “Because of this explosion, many local villagers lost their lives and suffered injuries and damage to their homes,” while the BBC reported residents had initially believed the blast was caused by an air strike.
