Tianjin explosion: social media reactions to China blasts

A photo taken with a mobile phone shows the aftermath of the huge explosions in the port city of Tianjin. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

Residents of Tianjin who witnessed the two huge explosions that shook their city have taken to social media sites such as Weibo to post their pictures and video footage.

Reports say that at least 13 people have been killed and hundreds injured by what official news agency Xinhua said was an explosion that ripped through a warehouse storing “dangerous goods” in the northern Chinese city.

The explosions in Tianjin sent flames soaring into the night sky. Photograph: Twitter

Matt Simon, a producer at CCTV in Washington DC, tweeted:

Death toll has risen according to @PDChina. Now 17 in #Tianjin (h/t @daveyog01) https://t.co/mvOcGJaSCH

— Matt Simon (@MSimonTV) August 12, 2015

The blasts damaged buildings, vehicles and property for several miles from the port.

A damaged vehicle near the site of the blasts in Tianjin. Photograph: Reuters

The National Earthquake Bureau reported two major blasts shortly before midnight. The first detonated with a force equivalent to 3 tonnes of TNT, the second equivalent to 21 tonnes.

Jon Williams, managing editor of ABC News in New York, tweets:

#China's @XHNews reports #Tianjin explosion caused two earthquakes, magnitude 2.3 & 2.9 pic.twitter.com/T6o4CddzKN

— Jon Williams (@WilliamsJon) August 12, 2015

Situated about 90 miles (140km) south-east of Beijing, Tianjin is one of China’s largest cities, with a population of about 11 million people. The high-speed train to Beijing takes 30 minutes.

This video of the explosion was posted on Weibo:

A short video of one of the blasts.

More images of the devastation caused by the blasts, which may have been caused by a shipment of explosives detonating in the city’s port, were uploaded to social media sites.

#Tianjin Local media reports that buildings collapsed more than 10km away from the explosions pic.twitter.com/sKdHEyVHKa

— Breaking3zero U.S. (@Breaking3zeroUS) August 12, 2015

Matt Simon also tweeted:

NEW DETAILS: All residents near blast site in #Tianjin evacuated. Hospitals call for blood donations. [1] pic.twitter.com/RQqvlzM0ma

— Matt Simon (@MSimonTV) August 12, 2015

NEW DETAILS: Explosion happened at Tianjian Dongjiang Port Rui Hai International Logistics Co. Ltd. It handles transport of hazardous goods

— Matt Simon (@MSimonTV) August 12, 2015

More evidence of the damage caused by the blasts can be seen in this picture.

Shattered windows of a nearby building after explosions in Tianjin. Photograph: Yue Yuewei/Xinhua Press/Corbis