Congo explosions kill hundreds

(Video: BXhanNews/YOUTUBE)  

International experts fought Monday to prevent a fire from reaching a 2nd arms depot in the capital of theRepublic of Congo, a day after a blaze set off by a series of explosions rocked a munitions depot at the Mpila military barracks in the east of the capital, Brazzaville. The blasts were so powerful they flattened buildings, causing windows to explode in a 3-5 kmtr radius - killing hundreds & trapping countless others under falling debris. At least 5 strong booms were heard between 8:00A & 10:45A. Small detonations continued Monday though not nearly as loud as those on Sunday; houses trembled as far away as the south of the country & across the mighty Congo River in the heart of Kinshasa, the capital of the neighboring Central African nation of Congo (DRC).

(PHOTO: Brazzaville, Republic of Congo/HAZARDEXONTHENET)"For the time being, there are Russian, French & Congolese experts in the field who are trying to put out the fires. Their goal is to avoid that the fires reach a 2nd depot of even heavier weapons," said Delphin Kibakidi, the spokesman of the local Red Cross, which has set up 2 camps inside churches in the capital, already welcoming some 600 displaced people.  Dozens are missing & it's unclear how many may have died, though reports estimate 200 had been killed & up to 1,500 injured.  (Read more at allAfrica.com)