Residents of Guinea’s capital Conakry are facing rising fuel prices after a fatal explosion in the West African nation’s main oil depot.
The blast rocked the downtown Kaloum district on Monday, killing at least 18 people, injuring more than 200 and displacing dozens. Several buildings were also damaged.
In the wake of the explosion, authorities closed petrol stations, disrupting fuel supplies across the country.
Officials say 13 fuel storage tanks in the capital are out of service, while five tanks remain unaffected. This has resulted in the black market price of petrol jumping to at least $3.50 (£2.80) per litre from the usual price of $1.40 (£1.10).
For Guineans, this means filling up cars and paying for public transport has become an expensive endeavour.
Authorities warn Guineans to brace for power cuts while they investigate the cause of the devastating blast.
Rescue teams have been sent by foreign institutions, as well as West African countries like Senegal and Mali, to support the injured and displaced.
One Conakry resident tells BBC News the country is struggling to make sense of the disaster.
“I saw a one-year-old girl who suffered severe burns and she later died. Her burns were so bad that I had to look away,” the resident says.
“I had tears in my eyes when I saw her. I also saw a mother who had brought her injured children.”
Guinea relies on imported petroleum products, most of which were distributed from the oil depot before it was destroyed.
