(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-09-29 23:38

COLOMBO -- Twelve foreign tourists, including some Chinese, were injured in an explosion in the Maldivian capital of Male Saturday afternoon, the Maldivian government said.  

Mohamed H. Shareef, the chief government spokesman, told Xinhua from Male by phone that the explosion happened at about 2:30 pm local time (0930 GMT) in a park in the central area of Male and the explosion was caused by a homemade device.

Shareef said that among the injured are two Japanese, two British nationals and some Chinese.

"Some of them suffered burning injuries and they have all been admitted to hospital," said the spokesman.

He said the injured are in stable conditions and the two British nationals have the most serious injures.

"Since they have not yet recovered from the trauma of the explosion we didn't ask them too much about the explosion," Shareef said.

Shareef said this was the first such explosion in the Maldives for many years and the government will do its best to investigate the incident.