No Malaysian Casualties In Tianjin Blasts: Embassy

By Niam Seet Wei BEIJING, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- No Malaysian casualties have been reported in the deadly Tianjin blasts which occurred before midnight on Thursday, a counsellor at the Malaysian embassy here. “So far we have not received any report of Malaysian casualties,” the counsellor who preferred to remain anonymous told Bernama via a text message. Malaysian Embassy deputy chief of mission in China, John K. Samuel had also responded to Bernama on Thursday in a text message: “no info from Chinese side". The Tianjin blasts claimed at least 42 lives and left more than 400 people wounded, the Beijing News reported. Netizens on China-Twitter such as Weibo have posted images of the blasts which appeared like a huge mushroom cloud. Pictures of huge fireballs engulfing buildings; thick smoke, glass fragments and debris on the ground, and people covered in blood went viral on Weibo. More than 1000 firefighters and 143 fire engines have been dispatched to the scene since last (Wednesday) night, according to the Tianjin fire department in its official Weibo account. The National Earthquake Bureau which tracked the two blasts Wednesday night, said the first explosion was equal to three tonnes of TNT, while the second with the equivalent of 21 tonnes. On its official Weibo, the bureau said the blasts with the intensity of 24 tonnes of TNT were so powerful that it made a huge impact on the ground, which could be detected by the department's seismograph. Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for an all-out effort to save the injured while Premier Li Keqiang vowed a thorough investigation and an open and transparent information disclosure to the public, Xinhua news agency reported. The cause of the blasts remain unknown, while massive rescue efforts are continuing. -- BERNAMA