Today's Edition
(DPA)
At least 50 people have been killed in a blast at an explosives depot in north-eastern Myanmar, local media reported on Sunday.
A further 70 people were injured in the incident in the town of Namhkam in Shan State, near the Chinese border, according to initial numbers provided by emergency services.
The explosion damaged several residential buildings in the area, with rescue workers still searching the rubble for survivors, media outlets said.
The hospital in Namhkam reported a severe shortage of blood supplies needed to treat the injured.
The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) rebel group confirmed that the building involved in the incident was one of its munitions depots. It contained commercial explosives intended for use in a quarry operated by the group, the group said.
The TNLA expressed its sympathy to the victims of the explosion and announced a thorough investigation into the cause of the blast.
