A rescue worker who arrived at the scene told the Associated Press that, by Sunday evening, 46 bodies had been recovered, including six children. The death toll is expected to rise. The bodies have been sent for funeral rites.
म्यांमार में विस्फोट धमाके में मरने वालों का आंकड़ा 55 तक पहुंचा, मृतकों में बच्चे भी शामिल
More than 45 people were killed and over 70 are reported injured in a massive explosion that occurred on Sunday in a building in Kaunghtup village, Namhkam Township, in the northeastern region of Myanmar. According to rescue workers and independent media reports, the building housed explosive materials intended for use in mining operations.
According to a report by The Washington Post, the area is situated approximately three kilometers south of the Chinese border and is under the control of the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA). This is an ethnic armed group that has engaged in intermittent clashes with Myanmar’s central government.
A rescue worker who arrived at the scene told the Associated Press that by Sunday evening, 46 bodies had been recovered, including those of six children. The death toll is feared to rise. The bodies have been sent for funeral rites. The injured have been admitted to the township hospital, and relief and rescue operations remain ongoing.
Another rescue worker from Namhkam reported that more than 100 homes in the vicinity of the blast site sustained damage.
China’s state-run television channel, CCTV, reported that the explosion resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries, and caused severe damage to numerous nearby homes. However, the channel did not provide an official count of the dead or injured.
According to reports, preliminary investigations have revealed that the explosion occurred at a location where a large quantity of explosive materials—intended for use in mining operations—was being stored.
The local administration is providing relief, medical treatment, and rehabilitation assistance to those affected by the incident.
In a statement issued on its Telegram channel, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army stated that the explosive—identified as gelignite—had been stored by its economic department for use in mining and stone quarrying operations. An investigation into the cause of the explosion is currently underway.
Gelignite is an explosive typically used in mining and rock-breaking operations; however, it can become highly unstable and dangerous if stored for prolonged periods or handled improperly. The Ta’ang National Liberation Army is a member of an insurgent coalition known as the Three Brotherhood Alliance. This coalition and its allies launched a major offensive against the military in northeastern Myanmar in late 2023, subsequently gaining control over the Namkham region. Members of the coalition, along with other ethnic armed groups, have long been demanding greater autonomy.
Following talks mediated by China in October of last year, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army signed a ceasefire agreement with the Myanmar military; however, tensions between the two sides persist.
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