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A massive explosion has ripped through a region in China.

Bright flames and black smoke were seen from what is thought to be a chemical factory this evening.

The explosion was seen and heard in the industrial zone of Lijin, Dongying City, in Shandong, just before 11.30pm local time.

It is not yet known if there are any injuries or fatalities.

The explosion was reported by the People's Daily newspaper - the Communist Party-owned publication.

State radio also revealed that a single blast occurred at a chemical plant in the city shortly before midnight.

Videos of an explosion were soon shared across social networks, but it was later revealed they were from a separate explosion that occurred more than two weeks ago.

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No further details have yet been released.

The blast comes just a fortnight after another huge explosion in the country killed dozens and injured hundreds.

The explosion a fortnight ago was so large that they were seen by satellites in space, sent shockwaves through apartment blocks kilometres away in the port city of 15 million people.

The death toll from the first explosion was well over 100 while dozens of buildings were burned out and destroyed.

The number of missing rose to 95, most of them fire fighters, state media said, suggesting the toll would rise significantly. More than 720 people remained in hospital.

Officials acknowledged the presence of toxins but said they posed no risk to people outside a two-km evacuation zone surrounding the blast area.

"I can responsibly say that there will be no secondary damage to the people," Shi Luze, the chief of staff of the People's Liberation Army's Beijing Military Region, told reporters, referring to people outside the zone.

Today's explosion is also the SECOND blast to occur in Shandong, after a previous one injured eight people just over a week ago.