Seychelles President Wavel Ramkalawan declared a state of emergency on Thursday, December 7, ordering all citizens except essential workers to stay at home, after a blast at an explosives’ depot and heavy flooding due to heavy rainfall, the presidency said.

The explosion shook the main island of Mahé as heavy rains triggered flooding which killed three people, the president’s office said in a statement, calling for a minute of silence.

"Everyone is being asked to stay at home,” it added. "All schools will be closed. Only workers in the essential services and persons travelling will be allowed free movement.”

Footage broadcast on national television showed streets covered in deep mud and strewn with debris and uprooted trees.

The government, according to reports, said the international airport and ferries between its islands remained operational for tourists.

The Seychelles, a major tourist destination, is made up of 115 islands and is the least populous country in Africa with about 100,000 people. It is off the eastern coast of Africa. The Seychelles is home to numerous beaches, coral reefs and nature reserves, as well as rare animals such as giant Aldabra tortoises.