Myanmar blast kills 46, injures 70

A devastating explosion in northeast Myanmar has killed at least 46 people and left more than 70 injured, according to local media and rescue workers.

The blast ripped through Kaung Tat village in Shan State on Sunday afternoon, destroying homes and sending huge plumes of smoke into the sky. Video shared online showed secondary explosions and buildings reduced to rubble.

Rescue teams said the toll could rise further as bodies are recovered from collapsed houses. One emergency worker reported 55 fatalities, while another put the figure at 59. Among the dead were six children.

The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), which controls the area, confirmed the incident in a statement, describing it as the accidental detonation of explosives stored for mining and quarrying. “Because of this explosion, many local villagers lost their lives and suffered injuries and damage to their homes,” the group said.

The TNLA is part of the Three Brotherhood Alliance, a coalition of ethnic armed groups that has fought Myanmar’s military regime since the 2021 coup. Rebel factions often rely on mining precious stones to fund their campaigns, with lax safety standards making accidents common.

The explosion highlights the dangers faced by communities in Myanmar’s conflict‑ridden borderlands, where armed groups and the military vie for control of lucrative resources.

Emergency workers continued rescue operations late into Sunday, transporting the wounded to hospitals in Namhkam district. “There could be more dead people under their destroyed houses,” one responder warned.

The tragedy adds to the mounting toll of Myanmar’s civil war, which has displaced hundreds of thousands and left civilians caught between fighting, economic hardship and the risks of unsafe resource extraction.

-2026-06-01