Series of blasts rocks New Delhi: Dozens of people were killed Saturday and hundreds were hurt after a series of explosions rocked the heart of New Delhi.
The Indian television network NDTV reported that the blasts' death toll had reached 65. Earlier, officials said that close to 50 people died in the explosions.
The first blast occurred in the Main Bazaar in the Paharganj neighborhood of the Indian capital, an area popular with Israeli tourists.
The Israeli embassy in New Delhi declared an emergency alert in the wake of the bombings with embassy personnel undertaking intense efforts to identify possible Israeli casualties in the attacks.
At least one Israeli tourist sustained light injuries in the blast. The Israeli already contacted his family and is expected to leave India Saturday night.
Site of one of the blasts (Photo: AFP)
Israeli Ambassador to India David Danieli told Ynet that the Israeli Embassy did not receive any additional reports about Israelis being hurt in the New Delhi blasts, apart from the one Israeli who suffered light injuries.
"We are checking all the guesthouses and crosschecking with the lists of names received from Israel. So far, we only know about one Israeli who suffered light burn injuries and has left for Israel according to his original plan," the ambassador said.
New Delhi Television said earlier that the large explosion was followed by two other blasts - one at a usually crowded market and the other at an industrial area in the south of the city.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urged people to remain calm and said in a statement that "India will win the battle against terrorism." The statement was read on CNN by one of his top advisers, Sanjaya Baru, who said the explosions were the work of terrorists, but did not say who the government thought was behind them.
India's neighboring country Pakistan strongly condemned the blasts.
"We strongly condemn these terrorist blasts," Foreign ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam told Reuters.
The blasts came as senior officials from the South Asian rivals met to work out modalities for opening their de facto border in the disputed Kashmir region to the survivors of the earthquake that killed more than 56,000 people.
Eye witness: As Israelis we are used to this
Ramat Hasharon
resident, 42-year-old Amnon Reuveni, spoke to Ynet from New Delhi where he is vacationing with his family. He was a few meters away from the site of blast.
"It happened at the end of the 'main bazaar.' There was a huge explosion and we saw many wounded people. There were many Israelis in the market, and it is unclear how many were hurt," he told Ynet.
Reuveni added that he and his family are planning on staying in India.
"As Israelis we are used to it," he said.
Keren Benner, 30, from Moshav Yagal arrived in India with her husband on honeymoon.
"There was an explosion in the center of the 'Main Bazaar' towards the direction of the train station," she said.
"A large smoke cloud loomed over the 'Main Bazaar.' We were in a restaurant on the roof of the hotel and we saw everything. I told my husband that if we hear sirens the situation is bad, two minutes later we heard sirens," she added.
"There are many Israelis here, every here. There was hysteria in the streets, but now there is less. The street was extremely crowded," she said, adding that "the injured were evacuated by rickshaw from the market and then taken by ambulances."
'The injured were transported by rickshaw'
Ronny Yogev from Ra'anana, whose son was near the site of the bombing, told Ynet, "I spoke with my 21-year-old son Jordan on (MSN) Messenger a few minutes ago, and while we were talking he heard a strong explosion."
"He is fine. He took the camera and started taking pictures. I know there are many Israelis there," he added.
Ynet was able to locate Ronny's son, Jordan.
"I heard a blast while I was speaking to my parents on Messenger and I saw an upsurge of people moving from the market towards the hotel. Within a few minutes rescue teams arrived," he said.
"The injured were transported in rickshaws down the narrow streets. The place was crowded with people, crying hysterically," he added.
Roee Nahmias and Oren Rice contributed to the report
First published: 15:08, 10.29.5