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At least 27 people have been killed and many more injured in a bomb blast outside the Erawan shrine in central Chit Lom district of Thai capital Bangkok. There has not yet been any claim of responsibility for the incident.
Journalists who arrived on the scene reported chaos and carnage everywhere as the authorities scrambled to deal with the situation.
LIVE on #Periscope: Erawan blast Bangkok https://t.co/DKa9TJZ18m
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) August 17, 2015
https://twitter.com/pakhead/status/633259952174292992
scene finally cleared now – pic.twitter.com/4B7IeYQU0l
— Florian Witulski (@vaitor) August 17, 2015
The blast was very strong, with the police saying that it was equivalent to about 5kg of TNT.
Police say Erawan Shrine blast equivalent to 5kg TNT.
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) August 17, 2015
The media has reported that more bombs have been found, and the authorities are working on diffusing them. Sniffer dogs have been brought in to sweep the area.
First explosive device found below skytrain, 2nd one near Erawan Shrine. Bomb squad deactivating 3rd one: @ThaiPBS https://t.co/kE1l1QjtcB
— Pichayada P. (@PichayadaCNA) August 17, 2015
Thai bomb squad might proceed with a controlled explosion of a suspicious package
— Florian Witulski (@vaitor) August 17, 2015
Reporters at the scene said that a crater left by the bomb could be seen in the courtyard of the Erawan shrine.
The Erawan Shrine is a popular attraction for tourists in Bangkok. Although a Hindu shrine, it is also visited by many Buddhists. The area is surrounded by large shopping malls and five-star hotels, making it an area high in foot traffic.
“I was having dinner at the Hyatt Erawan Hotel when a large explosion shook the building,” said office worker Eric Seldin told dpa. “When we were allowed outside 15 minutes later we saw several bodies covered under white sheets and damage to a nearby shrine.”
The shrine that was hit in tonight's bombing is nominally Hindu but is frequented by 1000s of Buddhist devotees every day, many foreign
— Jerome Taylor (@JeromeTaylor) August 17, 2015
Rumours following the incident suggested that martial law had been declared, with institutions ordered to shut down. These rumours were quickly debunked by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), the military junta.
Repeat NCPO say it has not ordered banks and schools shut down.
— Cod Satrusayang (@fishmyman) August 17, 2015
Despite rumors, junta has not ordered schools, businesses closed after Erawan bomb attack killed 12 http://t.co/f2hQmFVE1Z
— Khaosod English (@KhaosodEnglish) August 17, 2015
"I ask everyone to remain calm and not create a situation and rumours to cause confusion in the country" NCPO spokesman Winthai Suvari
— Cod Satrusayang (@fishmyman) August 17, 2015
An appeal for translators has been put out, as many victims rushed to hospital are foreign tourists.
Staff at Chula hospital ready to receive victims of Bangkok #ErawanBlast. Saw ambulances stuck in traffic on way down pic.twitter.com/soyQfBuQIs
— Jerome Taylor (@JeromeTaylor) August 17, 2015
Nation TV reports that volunteer translators – especially Chinese lang. – are needed at #Bangkok hospitals, as many injured are tourists.
— Saksith Saiyasombut (@Saksith) August 17, 2015
A call has also gone out for urgent blood donations:
Urgent need for blood donations in #Bangkok following explosion: Group A, Group B, Group O, Group AB pic.twitter.com/ukwGkrNsBN
— Richard Barrow in Thailand 🇹🇭 🇬🇧 (@RichardBarrow) August 17, 2015
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has expressed his condolences to the victims of the blast, and encouraged Singaporeans in Bangkok to get in touch with the embassy.