At least 39 killed in explosives depot blast in northeast Myanmar

At least 39 people have died in an explosion at an ammunition store controlled by a rebel army in northeast Myanmar near the border with China, the militia said.

The cause of Sunday’s explosion in the village of Kaung Tat in Shan state was not immediately clear.

Several houses were damaged in the explosion at about 12:30pm local time (05:50 GMT), and rescue efforts were still ongoing.

Video shared on social media showed an enormous plume of smoke, followed by further explosions. Other images showed several buildings destroyed by the impact.

The explosions took place in an area controlled by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), one of the most powerful rebel groups in Myanmar, which has been fighting for decades for greater autonomy from the central government.

A spokesperson for the TNLA said a hospital tally put the death toll ⁠at 39, with 75 injured – a lower number of casualties than initially feared.

The alliance has been waging an armed rebellion against Myanmar’s military government, which has been in power since a coup in 2021.

On Sunday, the TNLA confirmed the explosion in a Facebook statement, saying the stored explosives were used in mining operations. The area is known for its ruby-rich mines.

The group said the incident resulted in “numerous casualties” among locals. It added that an investigation into the cause of the incident was under way and those responsible would be held accountable.

“Everything was completely destroyed beyond recognition,” resident Moe Z said.

He said there were bodies and their parts scattered over the ⁠area, with a massive crater where the explosives had been stored.

“It’s as ⁠if the entire village has just vanished,” Moe said.

A local journalist said the explosion was so intense that some victims were buried under huge amounts of rubble and debris, and backhoes were being used in the search.

“Over half of the village’s houses have been destroyed. The houses near the ‌centre of the blast were blown completely to pieces, to the point where not even the house posts remain,” the journalist said.