A man walk among destroyed houses in the village of Gerdec, Albania, Sunday, March 16, 2008. Troops and police cordoned off a smoldering army depot north of the Albanian capital as crews searched Sunday for workers missing following a chain of explosions Saturday that killed at least nine people and injured hundreds. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

Hospital officials also confirmed the rising toll, saying that nine bodies have reached the hospital morgue.

In addition, at least 243 people, including many children, were injured in the blasts, which were accidentally triggered during work to dismantle old ammunition at Gerdec village, 15 km west of the capital city of Tirana.

The initial explosion was followed by a series of blasts, and the ammunition continued to detonate for hours.

The explosion could be heard in Tirana and Durres, the biggest port city of Albania.

"I was having lunch when the explosion occurred. It's like a minor earthquake. One of my windows has been shaken loose by the loud noise," a resident in the capital's embassy area told Xinhua.