“We are deeply saddened by the tragic incident on Haa Dhaal Makunudhoo island in which two Indian nationals have lost their lives,” the High Commission of India in Maldives said in a post on X.
It said the mission is in “close contact” with the Maldivian authorities as well as the families of the victims.
Citing a resident, the Sun Online news website reported that the explosion took place near the fish market, located at the southern end of the island’s harbour, at around 04:15 pm on Saturday.
Preliminary investigative findings show the explosion was caused by a gas cylinder near Kamunudhoo’s fish market, a police spokesperson was quoted as saying.
The victims were workers employed by the contractor for the land reclamation project to build an airport on the island, it said, without identifying their nationalities.
“There were teeth scattered in different areas. I saw pieces of bones and flesh. It has been found in multiple locations. A person is dead for sure,” the news portal reported, citing a source.
“It was a huge explosion. It rocked the whole island,” he said, adding that the blast appeared to have been some sort of gas explosion.
In a message, police told reporters that police were active at the site of the explosion.
According to eyewitness accounts and video footage obtained by Atoll Times:
A gas cylinder exploded outside a warehouse not far from the island's harbour, which was used to store items brought to the island for the ongoing sewerage network project
The deceased include two people outside the warehouse; the two were employees of the company contracted to reclaim land for the development of an airport in the island
Parts of the gas cylinder and body parts of the two workers were blown about 200 feet away
"Bones and organs were scattered all over the area," a witness said.
The blast damaged nearby motorcycles and shattered the windows of some boats anchored in the island's harbour, according to eyewitnesses.
This is the second gas cylinder explosion in less than a week. On Thursday, a fire extinguisher exploded at HDh. Kulhudhuffushi airport, seriously injuring a Maldivian man who has since been airlifted to capital Male for further treatment.