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Rabat – Around 200 people were injured on Thursday in a blast at an explosives store, which destroyed buildings and ravaged an industrial zone on Mahe, the main island of the Seychelles, said officials.
The catastrophe unfolded in the early hours, 02:00 local time (22:00 GMT Wednesday), at a construction and quarrying company on the East coast of Mahe.
The incident prompted authorities to declare a state of emergency, and converging reports have since shared video footage capturing the explosion which left a trail of destruction.
Footage broadcast on national television showed streets covered in deep mud and strewn with debris and uprooted trees.
The blast broke out, following a period of severe flooding in the country, contributing to the country’s state of emergency, causing extensive road closures, uprooting of houses, and three residents died after the flood’s “massive damage”, the president’s office said in a statement.
The flooding contributed to the country’s state of emergency, causing extensive road closures, uprooting of houses, and three residents died because of the flood, according to converging reports.
Footage shared on social media and broadcasted by the state media revealed a fiery explosion illuminating the night sky in the early hours of Thursday.
The impact of the blast resulted in significant damage to commercial structures and offices, causing the destruction of several residences in the vicinity. Furthermore, the explosion left a substantial crater in the ground, underscoring the force and extent of the incident.
The cause of the explosion remains uncertain at this time, with President Ramkalawan refraining from providing details on the government’s specific concerns regarding the explosives or their storage. The president assured that investigators are actively examining the incident and committed to sharing their findings with the public.
President Ramkalawan addressed reporters, emphasizing the unprecedented nature of the event for Seychelles.
He explained, ‘In order for us to put this under the microscope, in order for us to allow the police to do their investigation without people interfering, I felt it was necessary for us to have a state of emergency.”
