Blast rocks Yemen arms bazaar

At least 14 people have been killed and 19 wounded in an explosion at an arms market in central Yemen, officials say.

The blast appears to have resulted from the spontaneous explosion of dynamite in a warehouse in the central province of Al-Bayda.

The explosion "was deafening and shook the whole city," one witness told the Reuters news agency.

It took place at about 1430 local time (1130GMT), according to police sources.

Initial reports suggested that as many as 50 had been injured by the explosion, but the latest official reports put the number much lower.

Weapons sold openly

The blast destroyed the building and several warehouses and stores.

Official reports say the dynamite that caused the explosion belonged to a businessman who sold it for civilian use, such as road construction.

Private ownership of arms is common in Yemen, a largely tribal society.

The BBC's Julia Wheeler in the Gulf says weapons are bought and sold openly in markets throughout the country.

The Yemen Interior Ministry estimates there are 60 million firearms in the hands of the country's 16 million people.

Government efforts to get tribespeople to hand in their weapons have been unsuccessful.