A huge explosion has struck the Chinese city of Tianjin in north-eastern China, with the shock waves felt up to 10km away.
The blast struck a petrol storage station Tianjin’s Binhai New Development Zone at around 23:30 (15:30 GMT).
The cause of the blast and the number of casualties is currently unknown.
Several tower blocks nearby are without power, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
Chinese newspaper People’s Daily reports that over 50 people are being treated at nearby hospitals and “new ones keep coming”.
Photographs and videos of the blast have emerged on social media:
Update: Hospital says it has received over 50 wounded from #Tianjin blast, new ones keep coming pic.twitter.com/WpFImxe2L6
— People's Daily,China (@PDChina) August 12, 2015
Another menacing photo from the #Tianjin explosion in #China pic.twitter.com/cpKKzvTWV3
— Gissur Simonarson (@GissiSim) August 12, 2015
Terrifying freeze frames of debris flying directly at a #Tianjin explosion videographer over a fraction of a second. pic.twitter.com/bAvQddrcM1
— reported.ly (@reportedly) August 12, 2015
#Video: Explosion in #Tianjin, China – @thelastnext pic.twitter.com/ABI095yT0F
— World Aggregate News (@WAGGNews) August 12, 2015
Early reports of huge explosion in Tianjin, China. Unclear what happened, may be gas station, http://t.co/2P4NEiUsZL pic.twitter.com/xfjTOpywnP
— Matt Simon (@MSimonTV) August 12, 2015
2nd #video: huge explosion in #Tianjin, #China today. The blast / quake was felt 10km away.. @PzFeed @PDChina pic.twitter.com/lDRT8ePAVQ
— Silver Surfer (@RobPulseNews) August 12, 2015
EXPLOSION IN CHINA: -Cause unknown -Injuries reported -City of Tianjin VIDEO / FULL STORY: http://t.co/tUWbyD86Ac pic.twitter.com/KGiy2HSFxt
— Breaking News Feed (@PzFeed) August 12, 2015
Large explosion in #Tianjin, China. http://t.co/lczZhLr8aW pic.twitter.com/hBa3AvGkty
— The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) August 12, 2015