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Multiple explosions in Brussels, at least 23 dead

Author
NZME Staff,
Publish Date
Tue, 22 Mar 2016, 8:32pm
Several people have been injured in the blasts (Photo: GIORGI TABAGARI)

Multiple explosions in Brussels, at least 23 dead

Author
NZME Staff,
Publish Date
Tue, 22 Mar 2016, 8:32pm

LISTEN ABOVE: Marcus Lush gets the latest from Europe correspondent Catherine Field

 

• Two explosions have rocked Brussels Airport
• A third explosion has been reported at a metro station in central Brussels 
• At least 23 people are reportedly dead - 13 at the airport and 10 on the metro
• Many more have been injured, including 35 at the airport
• The first explosions happened just before 8am local time
• The airport has been evacuated, and flights and metro trains cancelled
• A Belgian prosecutor says it was a suicide attack
• Blasts come as Belgium on high terror alert following Paris attack suspect's arrest on Saturday

11.09pm: Police in New York will visibly increase their presence at airports and train stations today, NBC News is reporting.

11.00pm: Reports London and Paris have elevated their terror threat levels.

10.53pm: Belgian authorities have formally classified the three explosions as terrorist attacks.

10.44pm: A Belgian prosecutor has confirmed the explosions was a suicide attack, Bloomberg is reporting.

10.43pm: Elisabeth Jacobs, of the New Zealand Consulate of Belgium, said she was shocked by what had happened.

Mrs Jacobs encouraged any Belgians in New Zealand with concerns to get in contact with her.

10.41pm: Parliament is being evacuated and authorities are telling people in Brussels to remain where they are.

10.27pm: Live feeds of the situation in Brussels are showing bodies and injured people being taken out of the Maalbeek metro station.

10.25pm: Belgian media are reporting at least 10 have been kills in blasts at metro stations near EU offices.

10.20pm: The death toll at the airport has increased to 13, according to the Belgian broadcaster VRT, with a further 35 people severely injured, Reuters reports.

10pm: Police are ordering people off the streets of Brussels.

9.59pm: The Eurostar has been suspended and extra security has been added at Paris airports.

9.57pm: British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Twitter:

9.56pm: The New Zealand Ambassador to the European Union, Sweden and NATO, David Taylor, has just tweeted: "Thanks all accounted for. But situation still unfolding..."

9.54pm: NBC News is reporting there have now been four explosions at different metro stations as well as two at the airport.

9.50pm: Sixty New Zealanders are registered on SafeTravel as being in Belgium.

"The New Zealand Embassy in Brussels is currently seeking information on the nationalities of victims and casualties from two explosions at the airport in Brussels, and is liaising with local authorities," a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman said.

• If you have concerns about a New Zealand family member in Belgium, try and make direct contact in the first instance.

• If you have ongoing concerns, contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade - Tel:Â 04 439 8000 (if calling from within New Zealand) or Tel: +64 4 439 8000 (if calling from outside New Zealand).

9.45pm: Local Belgian media are reporting police have found three unexploded devices in the airport departure hall.

9.42pm: Brussels central is being evacuated and all metro stations are closed.

9.40pm: All rail services shut down in Brussels and explosion at metro station near EU buildings confirmed, according to Sky News.

9.30pm: Smoke can be seen pouring from near the Brussels metro at Maalbeek.

9.28pm: BBC is reporting a third explosion at a metro station in central Brussels close to European Union institutions.

9.20pm: There are unconfirmed reports that there are 11 dead and before the two explosions, there were shots fired and shouts in Arabic.

Images from people at the scene show injured people with torn, bloodied clothes and covered in dust.

People evacuating have been told by officials to "leave their bags" sop police could check for more explosives but some ignored the instructions, the Daily Mail is reporting.

Evacuated passengers are being ferried onto buses and are being driven to a crisis centre away from the airport. Women and children are being moved first.

9.15pm: Belga's news agency reports shots were fired before the explosions. A man was heard shouting in Arabic before the blasts, the agency said.

The explosions happened just before 8am local time.

Roofing tiles can be seen strewn across the floor of the departure lounge.

Earlier

Two explosions have rocked Brussels airport, injuring several people and forcing authorities to evacuate the terminal and cancel flights.

The Belgian fire service have told local media that there are several dead and wounded at the airport, according to the BBC.

Brussels Airport have tweeted a message, confirming the explosions.

The airport then tweeted:

Footage shows people fleeing and screaming shortly after the explosions at the departure terminal at Brussels Zaventem Airport this morning (this evening NZT). Smoke can be seen rising from blown-out windows.

Flights have been cancelled, passengers are being evacuated, and transport links to the airport have been stopped.

Sky News reporter Alex Rossi was at a duty when he heard "two very, very loud explosions".

"I could feel the building move. There was also dust and smoke as well," he told Sky News.

"I went towards where the explosion came from and there were people coming out looking very dazed and shocked.

"The thinking here is that it is some kind of terrorist attack - that hasn't been verified by any of the authorities here at the airport."

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