S China explosion kills 2, injures at least 34

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Two people were killed and at least 34 injured in an explosion near a school in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Monday morning.

A man and a woman were killed outright, and the injured, including 26 school children and two infants, were taken to hospital, according to a statement issued by the region's health department.

The 34 are receiving treatment at People's Liberation Army No. 181 Hospital in Guilin City, five in a critical condition.

Some other injured people were taken to other hospitals, and the exact number of casualties is being calculated.

The explosion struck about 7:10 a.m. as students were arriving at Balijie Primary School in Lingwu County of Guilin, said a statement issued by Guilin city publicity authorities. Some classrooms were damaged in the explosion and classes have been suspended.

The Ministry of Public Security has dispatched a working team to Guilin and Guilin authorities have set up their own investigation team. Police in Guilin have begun a search for illegal explosives in the city.

Witnesses saw a man on a three-wheeled motorcycle pass the entrance to the school as the blast took place.

One body could be seen at the site, which was cordoned off by local police.

"First, the motorcycle caught fire and then exploded with a tremendous noise that could be heard from far, far away," a witness told Xinhua.

Motorcycles were scattered around the blast site and windows of nearby cars and stores were broken.

Guilin, a popular tourist city in Guangxi, is famous for its karst scenery.

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