Enlarge image
Holiday paradise Seychelles: Explosion on the main island of Mahé
Photo: Giovanni Guarino / imagebroker / IMAGO
In the Seychelles, dozens of people were injured in an explosion on the premises of a construction company on Thursday. In addition, two people died as a result of a landslide following heavy rainfall. President Wavel Ramkalawan declared a state of emergency. All shops and schools on the island of Mahé are to remain closed in order to keep the roads clear for rescue work, the government announced. Mahé is the largest island in the Seychelles.
The explosion occurred in the early hours of the morning in the Providence industrial area. According to the government, the construction company had stored explosives on the site. Buildings within a radius of about one kilometer were damaged. According to local media reports, the international airport is also affected. The foreign minister of the neighbouring island of Mauritius, Maneesh Gobin, pledged his government's help to the Seychelles.
Mudslide swept two people to their deaths
In addition, according to the presidency, a landslide caused by heavy rainfall in the north of Mahé destroyed roads and made them inaccessible. The mudslide killed two people on Thursday night, it said. The government warned of possible contamination of tap water.
The Seychelles are a group of islands in the Indian Ocean about 1800 kilometers off the coast of Kenya, north of Madagascar. They are a popular holiday destination because of their clear, turquoise waters and white sandy beaches.
has/dpa