2021 Bata explosions
 | This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. |
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| Date | 7 March 2021 |
|---|---|
| Time | |
| Location | Nkoantoma Military Base, Bata, Equatorial Guinea |
| Coordinates | 1°49′12″N 9°48′32″E / 1.820°N 9.809°E |
| Cause | Negligence related to storage of dynamite and other explosives |
| Deaths | 105 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 615+ |
During the afternoon of 7 March 2021 a series of four explosions occurred at a military barracks in the Nkoantoma district of Bata, the largest city and commercial capital of Equatorial Guinea in central Africa. At least 105 people died and more than 600 others were wounded, while significant infrastructural damage also occurred throughout the city.
President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo attributed the disaster to negligently stored explosives on the base that detonated after nearby farmers cleared their fields by setting them on fire.
Explosions
Four explosions occurred at Cuartel Militar de Nkoantoma, a military base in the neighbourhood of Nkoantoma.[1][2] The first three blasts occurred in succession around 15:00 WAT (14:00 UTC), with the first being the strongest.[2][a] The fourth explosion occurred two hours after the first detonation.[2] The explosions caused significant damage to the areas surrounding the military base. Almost all buildings and homes in the city suffered significant damage. Both dead and wounded people were reported in several nearby parts of the city.[2]
Casualties
At least 105 people were killed by the explosions and 615 more were wounded.[5][6] The Ministry of Health declared a "health emergency" due to the presumption that there were several more people dead and missing under the rubble. Of the wounded, more than 300 were admitted to the Nuevo Inseso Hospital; more than 150 at the Bata General Hospital; and more than 70 at the La Paz Hospital.[7][8]
Aftermath
In a televised statement to the nation, President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo blamed the explosions on neighbouring farmers clearing farming land by setting it alight, leading to the explosion of improperly stored munitions on the nearby military base,[8] and said that almost all of the city's buildings had suffered damage. In the same address, he also requested international assistance. In the immediate aftermath, Vice-President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue travelled to the site of the explosion to assess the situation.[9]
On 9 March, the government declared Bata a catastrophic zone, and set up an initial emergency fund of 10,000,000,000 XAF (20,000,000 USD) to address the disaster.[10] It also declared three days of national mourning, with flags flying at half-mast.[10][11]
President Obiang ordered an investigation to determine the details of the disaster, the parties responsible, and the extent of the destruction.[1] Human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch and EG Justice, have called for an independent investigation by international experts.[5][12] They suspect that the death toll is much higher than the one being reported, based on interviews in Bata, and question the officially reported cause of the disaster, noting that other theories are in conflict with the "hasty presidential statement deflecting blame from the military".[12]
See also
- Armed Forces of Equatorial Guinea
- 2002 Lagos armoury explosion
- 2007 Maputo arms depot explosion
- Brazzaville arms dump blasts
Notes
- ^ EFE reported that the initial blasts occurred around 15:00 WAT, while Associated Press reported that President Obiang stated that an explosion happened at 16:00 WAT, and Deutsche Welle reported that the first explosion happened around 13:00 WAT.[3][4]
References
- ^ a b https://archive.is/20210310185249/https://www.guineaecuatorialpress.com/noticia.php?id=17222
- ^ a b c d "Una cadena de explosiones causa 17 muertos y 420 heridos en Guinea Ecuatorial" (in Spanish). SwissInfo. 7 March 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "At least 20 dead, 600 wounded in Equatorial Guinea blasts". AP NEWS. 7 March 2021. Archived from the original on 8 March 2021.
- ^ Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Equatorial Guinea: Death toll from Bata explosion climbs over 100 | DW | 09.03.2021". DW.COM.
{{cite web}}:|archive-url=requires|archive-date=(help); Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b "Bata blast: Satellite images show Equatorial Guinea destruction". BBC. 10 March 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ "Death toll from devastating Equatorial Guinea blasts jumps to 98". Al Jazeera. 8 March 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ "Bata explosion: Equatorial Guinea death toll rises to 98". BBC. 7 March 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b Bearak, Max (7 March 2021). "Death toll soars to 98 after arms depot explosions in Equatorial Guinea's largest city". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Comunicado presidencial sobre el incendio ocurrido en el Cuartel Militar de Nkoantoma Página Web Institucional de Guinea Ecuatorial.
- ^ a b "Página Oficial del Gobierno de la República de Guinea Ecuatorial". www.guineaecuatorialpress.com.
{{cite web}}:|archive-url=requires|archive-date=(help); Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Ross, Aaron (10 March 2021). "Children lose parents as thousands flee after Equatorial Guinea blast" – via www.reuters.com.
{{cite web}}:|archive-url=requires|archive-date=(help); Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b https://archive.is/20210310174552/https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/03/10/equatorial-guinea-seek-independent-inquiry-blast