At least 46 people have been killed and 70 wounded in explosion in rebel-held area, local media report.

Dozens of people have been killed in an explosion in Myanmar’s northeastern Shan State near the border with China, local media and a rebel group have said.

The exact death toll in Sunday’s explosion in the village of Kaung Tat was not immediately clear.

But local news website The Irrawaddy reported that at least 46 people, including six children, were killed and more than 70 other people were wounded in the blast at a depot housing explosives.

Several houses were damaged in the explosion, which took place around 12:30pm local time (05:50 GMT), the report said. It added that rescue operations were ongoing.

Separately, a rescue worker told the Shwe Phee Myay news agency that the death toll was 55.

Footage shared on social media showed an enormous plume of smoke going up in the air, followed by secondary explosions. Other images also showed several buildings that were completely destroyed after the incident.

The blast occurred in an area under the control of the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), one of the most powerful rebel groups in Myanmar, which has been fighting for decades for greater autonomy from the country’s central government.

The group confirmed the explosion in a statement on Facebook, saying that the stored explosive material was used in mining operations. The area is known for its ruby-rich mines.

The TNLA said the incident resulted in “numerous casualties” among local residents, without providing an exact figure.

It added that an investigation into the cause of the blast was under way and that those responsible would be held accountable.