Massive explosion in Equatorial Guinea kills at least 20, injures hundreds

Stored explosives at a military camp in Equatorial Guinea exploded on Sunday, killing at least 20 people and injuring hundreds. President Teodoro Obiang Nguema said the explosions were accidental, and called for international aid.

A still from a TV news report in Equatorial Guinea showing destroyed structures following explosions at a military base in Bata, 7 March 2021. © Reuters TV

"The city of Bata was the location of an accident caused by the negligence and carelessness of a unit charged with the care and protection of the stores of dynamite and explosives next to the ammunition at the Nkoa Ntoma military base," said Obiang Nguema in a statement. 

Local farmers allowed a fire in the area around the camp in the economic capital, Bata, to burn out of control, and it hit explosives that had been badly stored.

"The shock waves from the explosions caused huge damage to almost all the buildings and homes in the city of Bata," wrote the president.

The defence ministry said at least 20 people died and some 600 were injured by the "high calibre" explosives that whose shockwaves razed many houses to the ground.

The health ministry warned in a tweet that many people could still be buried under the wreckage.

Guinée Équatoriale : Une série d'explosions sème le chaos à Bata.
L'AFP annonce que des explosions ont frappé un camp militaire, faisant des blessés. pic.twitter.com/Vsrp949DeG

— Rebecca Rambar (@RebeccaRambar) March 7, 2021

Calls for aid

Obiang Nguema called for "the international community and national benefactors to support Equatorial Guinea", saying that the disaster comes at a time when the country is already struggling with "the economic crisis resulting from the fall in oil prices and the Covid-19 pandemic."

Equatorial Guinea is one of the most closed countries in Africa, if not the world, and Obiang Nguema is regularly accused by the opposition and international rights groups of committing human rights violations.

He has survived half a dozen assassination or coup attempts to become Africa's longest-serving leader.

(with AFP)