TIANJIN, China — Thunderous, fiery explosions at a warehouse containing hazardous goods traumatized this northeast port city late Wednesday, killing at least 44 people, injuring at least 400, shattering glass on scores of high-rise buildings and causing other extensive damage.

The force of the blasts registered on earthquake scales and was felt miles away.

As of Thursday morning, an unknown number of people remained unaccounted for in the wreckage, the Tianjin Police Department said in a statement, and 32 of the injured were in critical condition. The official Xinhua news agency later reported that 12 firefighters were among the dead. The toll is expected to rise.

Xinhua and other state-run news outlets posted graphic video clips of the blasts, showing a fire and a huge flash of light that resembled a mushroom cloud illuminating the darkness over Tianjin, a city of 14 million that is one of China’s most important commercial trade centers.

Another video posted by the state-run newspaper People’s Daily showed a person blown down by a wall of shattering glass and debris.