At least seven people have been killed and 51 others injured after multiple blasts in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China, according to local media.
Initial investigations suggest the explosions were caused by 17 parcel bombs in the seat of Liucheng county and the surrounding area, China’s state-run Xinhua news agency said.
Emergency services rushed to the scenes of the blasts, which caused severe damage to buildings and vehicles, it said. The first occurred around 3:50 p.m. Wednesday.
Police named a 33-year-old man from Liucheng Tai Po town as a suspect in the explosions and said their investigations were continuing, Xinhua reported.
The People’s Daily, a national newspaper, said the suspect paid couriers to deliver the letter bombs across Liucheng. A further 60 suspicious parcels had been identified and bomb disposal were “on their way.”
It added there had been separate explosions at locations including a shopping mall, prison, hospital, public service dormitories and vegetable market.
Authorities said they had ruled out a terrorist attack.