A powerful explosion has killed at least 46 people and injured dozens of others in Kaung Tat village, Namkham Township, in Myanmar’s Shan State near the Chinese border.
Rescue workers said six children, including a one-year-old toddler, were among those killed in the blast, which occurred in an area controlled by insurgent forces.
The explosion also caused widespread destruction, damaging approximately 200 houses in Kaung Tat and another 100 homes in the nearby village of Pan Lone.
The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), the armed group that controls the area, said the incident was caused by the accidental detonation of explosives used for mining and quarrying operations.
While local rescue teams confirmed 46 deaths, an earlier source familiar with the situation suggested the death toll could eventually rise to 55.
According to the TNLA, the explosion occurred around midday on Sunday and resulted in significant casualties and property damage across the community.
Photos and videos from the scene showed a huge crater at the centre of the blast site, surrounded by collapsed buildings, scattered debris and burnt vegetation, with smoke lingering over parts of the village.
Residents described scenes of panic and devastation in the aftermath of the explosion.
One survivor said many people initially feared the area had come under an airstrike because of the force of the blast.
The resident, who sustained a minor leg injury and lost a home in the disaster, said children were among the victims and that an entire section of the community was badly affected.
“By sheer luck, my phone saved my life,” the resident wrote on social media.
The survivor explained that they had been sitting indoors using a mobile phone while eating when the explosion occurred and believed they might not have survived if they had been elsewhere in the house.
Describing the aftermath, the resident said people desperately searched for missing relatives while cries for loved ones echoed throughout the community.
“People were crying, calling out for their parents. It felt as if the world had come to an end,” the resident said.
The survivor also questioned why explosive materials were being stored or handled so close to residential areas and called for a thorough investigation into the incident.
The TNLA is one of the most powerful ethnic armed groups fighting Myanmar’s military government.
According to AFP, several rebel groups operating in Myanmar depend on mining activities as a source of funding, while poor safety standards in some mining operations have contributed to deadly accidents over the years.
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