Death toll from blast in Somalia’s capital rises to 53

The death toll from the most powerful bomb blast witnessed in Somalia’s capital has risen to 53 as hospitals struggled to cope with the high number of casualties, security and medical sources say. More than 60 others are injured.

Somalia’s government is yet to release the exact death toll from the truck bomb that targeted a busy street near key ministries. Officials fear the toll would continue to climb.

Ambulance sirens echoed across the city a day after the blast as bewildered families wandered in the rubble of buildings, looking for missing relatives.

“In our 10 year experience as the first responder in #Mogadishu, we haven’t seen anything like this,” the Aamin Ambulance service tweets.

Photos from the scene. In our 10 year experience as the first responder in #Mogadishu, we haven't seen anything like this. pic.twitter.com/cNxeDD86u6

— Aamin Ambulance (@AaminAmbulance) October 15, 2017

President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed declared three days of mourning and joined thousands of people who responded to a desperate plea by hospitals to donate blood for the wounded victims. “I am appealing all Somali people to come forward and donate,” he said.

Many victims died at hospitals from their wounds, said Police Captain Mohamed Hussein.

— AP