Blasts at Kazakh ammunition depot injure 10

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) - A state of emergency has been declared in Turkestan region in southern Kazakhstan following blasts at an ammunition warehouse on Monday, an official said.

Turkestan Governor Umirzak Shukeyev said: "The state of emergency has been declared. All the districts and the nearest settlements were mobilized."

"All the people of Arys town [home to around 60,000 people] will be evacuated," Shukeyev was cited by the Kazinform news agency as saying .

At least ten people were injured with three in critical condition, according to Kazakh Telegraph Agency (KazTag).

“The armed forces are conducting liquidation arrangements in order to minimize the consequences," said the report.

President Qasym-Jomart Toqayev said on twitter that he directed his defense and interior ministers to take stock of the situation.

The fire at the warehouse caused blasts at around 9:20 a.m. local time (0320GMT).

The country's passenger transport authorities also reported that trains in the areas are being delayed over safety concerns.

Arys is a town in Turkistan region of the country which is home to junction of two important rail lines: Trans-Aral Railway and Turkestan-Siberia Railway.