In Equatorial Guinea, the state broadcaster on Saturday announced that authorities have compensated 84 families of victims of the explosions of March 7, 2021 in a military camp in Bata that had killed 107 people and injured 615.

A year ago, four explosions devastated the Nkoa-Ntoma camp in Bata, the economic capital, and many neighboring residential areas after a fire caused by a poorly controlled burning had set fire to the arsenal and the armory of the military hold.

During the compensation ceremony, vice president, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue handed over eight million CFA francs to each family which translates to about 12,000 euros. Those who were amputated as a result of the disaster received 4 million CFA francs, about 6,000 euros.

The city of Bata is home to about 800,000 of the 1.4 million inhabitants of this small state rich in oil and gas, but where the vast majority of the population lives below the poverty line.