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A huge blast at an explosives storage site in Seychelles on Thursday injured dozens of people and brought down buildings, prompting the country’s president to declare a state of emergency.

“I was shocked when I arrived early in the morning. The police and the army (have taken) control of the area,” Seychelles President Wavel Ramkalawan told a press briefing.

“Sixty-six people have been admitted to hospital,” he said.

Footage broadcast on television showed broken glass and sheet metal debris scattered on site.

“Many people are in a state of shock, and we strive to provide them with psychological support,” Ramkalawan said, adding that the blast could have resulted in many more casualties had it occurred during the daytime.

The blast happened in the Providence Industrial Area in Mahe, the largest island in the Indian Ocean nation. It not only damaged the site but surrounding areas as well, the presidency said in a statement.

(Story compiled with input from agencies)