The death toll from a series of explosions at a military barracks in Equatorial Guinea rose by dozens to at least 98 killed after more bodies were recovered, the government said on Tuesday.&nbsp;

The blasts on Sunday in the Mondong Nkuantoma neighbourhood of the coastal city of Bata also wounded at least 615 people, authorities said. The government said that 316 of the injured have been discharged and 299 remain in care in various hospitals in the city.&nbsp;

More than 60 people were also rescued from under the rubble by the civil protection corps and fire service, the government said.&nbsp;

President Teodoro Obiang Nguema said the government will hold an emergency meeting to look into how victims can quickly receive aid from Equatorial Guinea before international aid arrives.&nbsp;

Investigations into the blast have begun, he said in a Tuesday statement.&nbsp;

The president initially said the explosion was due to the negligent handling of dynamite in the military barracks and the impact damaged almost all the homes and buildings in Bata.&nbsp;

The vice president, who is also charged with defence and security, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, said on Tuesday that investigations so far showed the fire may have begun when a farmer set fire to his plot to prepare it for food production and a breeze spread the flames to the nearby barracks where the high-caliber ammunition was stored.&nbsp;

Images shown on state TV showed plumes of smoke rising above the explosion site as crowds fled. Roofs of houses were ripped off.&nbsp;

Equatorial Guinea, an oil-rich West African country of 1.3 million people located south of Cameroon, was a colony of Spain until it gained its independence in 1968. Bata has roughly 175,000 inhabitants. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The death toll from a series of explosions at a military barracks in Equatorial Guinea rose by dozens to at least 98 killed after more bodies were recovered, the government said on Tuesday.

The death toll from a series of explosions at a military barracks in Equatorial Guinea rose by dozens to at least 98 killed after more bodies were recovered, the government said on Tuesday. The blasts on Sunday in the Mondong Nkuantoma neighbourhood of the coastal city of Bata also wounded at least 615 people, authorities said. The government said that 316 of the injured have been discharged and 299 remain in care in various hospitals in the city. More than 60 people were also rescued from under the rubble by the civil protection corps and fire service, the government said. President Teodoro Obiang Nguema said the government will hold an emergency meeting to look into how victims can quickly receive aid from Equatorial Guinea before international aid arrives. Investigations into the blast have begun, he said in a Tuesday statement. The president initially said the explosion was due to the negligent handling of dynamite in the military barracks and the impact damaged almost all the homes and buildings in Bata. The vice president, who is also charged with defence and security, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, said on Tuesday that investigations so far showed the fire may have begun when a farmer set fire to his plot to prepare it for food production and a breeze spread the flames to the nearby barracks where the high-caliber ammunition was stored. Images shown on state TV showed plumes of smoke rising above the explosion site as crowds fled. Roofs of houses were ripped off. Equatorial Guinea, an oil-rich West African country of 1.3 million people located south of Cameroon, was a colony of Spain until it gained its independence in 1968. Bata has roughly 175,000 inhabitants. (With inputs from agencies)

Death toll rises to 98 in Equatorial Guinea explosions 

President Ram Nath Kovind announced that India will soon have an embassy in Equatorial Guinea in order to strengthen diplomatic ties between the two countries.&nbsp

While addressing the parliament members he said ""I came with greetings, friendships, and commitments of 1.3 billion Indians. It is the water of the oceans which has united our civilisation. Diplomacy is catching up between the two countries and I am happy to announce that very soon, India will be opening its embassy in Equatorial Guinea, in fact, in this city," President Kovind said."

During President Kovind's visit, the two countries signed three agreements on Sunday towards affirming cooperation in the fields of medicinal plants, traditional systems of medicine, and health and medicine sector. An action plan was also devised on cooperation in the field of Information and Communicational Technology (ICT).

The two Presidents discussed various issues of global and regional interest, and also agreed to expand their partnership towards cooperation in the fields of agriculture, mining, health, telecommunication and Information Technology (IT).

Acknowledging the long-standing relationship between India and Equatorial Guinea, the two leaders also underscored the need to hold regular consultations on bilateral issues in order to further deepen ties between the two countries.

President Kovind, who is on a three-nation state visit to the African countries of Equatorial Guinea, Swaziland and Zambia from April 7 to 12, arrived at Malabo on Saturday.

He was conferred with the Condecoracion, the highest honour accorded to a non-citizen by the government of Equatorial Guinea here on Sunday.

President Kovind was bestowed with the medal of the Gran Colar de la Independencia by his counterpart Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, for his contribution to the cause of development, security and world peace.

"Equatorial Guinea's President told me that I am conferred with the highest civilian award. The honour wasn`t given to me, but to President of India, which means it was for citizens of India. You are equally entitled to the honour," President Kovind.

President Kovind, who is on a three-nation state visit to the African countries of Equatorial Guinea, Swaziland and Zambia from April 7 to 12, arrived at Malabo on Saturday

President Ram Nath Kovind announced that India will soon have an embassy in Equatorial Guinea in order to strengthen diplomatic ties between the two countries. While addressing the parliament members he said ""I came with greetings, friendships, and commitments of 1.3 billion Indians. It is the water of the oceans which has united our civilisation. Diplomacy is catching up between the two countries and I am happy to announce that very soon, India will be opening its embassy in Equatorial Guinea, in fact, in this city," President Kovind said." During President Kovind's visit, the two countries signed three agreements on Sunday towards affirming cooperation in the fields of medicinal plants, traditional systems of medicine, and health and medicine sector. An action plan was also devised on cooperation in the field of Information and Communicational Technology (ICT). The two Presidents discussed various issues of global and regional interest, and also agreed to expand their partnership towards cooperation in the fields of agriculture, mining, health, telecommunication and Information Technology (IT). Acknowledging the long-standing relationship between India and Equatorial Guinea, the two leaders also underscored the need to hold regular consultations on bilateral issues in order to further deepen ties between the two countries. President Kovind, who is on a three-nation state visit to the African countries of Equatorial Guinea, Swaziland and Zambia from April 7 to 12, arrived at Malabo on Saturday. He was conferred with the Condecoracion, the highest honour accorded to a non-citizen by the government of Equatorial Guinea here on Sunday. President Kovind was bestowed with the medal of the Gran Colar de la Independencia by his counterpart Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, for his contribution to the cause of development, security and world peace. "Equatorial Guinea's President told me that I am conferred with the highest civilian award. The honour wasn`t given to me, but to President of India, which means it was for citizens of India. You are equally entitled to the honour," President Kovind.

Indian embassy to soon open in Equitorial Guiniea: President Kovind

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Death toll rises to 98 in Equatorial Guinea explosions

Indian embassy to soon open in Equitorial Guiniea: President Kovind