Details are sketchy because of the scale of the explosion. Reports of dozens killed and hundreds injured. Reuters reports: Basir Mujahid, a spokesman for Kabul police, said several people were killed and wounded in the blast near the fortified entrance to the German embassy.

“It was a car bomb near the German embassy, but there are several other important compounds and offices near there too. It is hard to say what the exact target is,” Mujahid said. The explosion shattered windows and blew doors off their hinges in houses hundreds of meters (yards) away. (link)

The incident happened at around 8:20 a.m. on Wednesday when a massive explosion occurred in a crowded area on the edge of the capital’s Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood, not far from foreign embassies and government buildings. Plumes of smoke were seen billowing from the scene.

It was not immediately clear what was the exact target of the explosion, but photos from the scene showed significant damage and multiple vehicles which were destroyed. At least 319 people had been taken to hospitals, the health ministry said. The Pajhwok news agency said 50 people were killed.

UPDATE: Death toll rises to 80 in Kabul, 318 injured, after massive truck bomb goes off near embassies during rush hour. — Breaking News (@BreakingNLive) May 31, 2017

Afghan officials say dozens are dead or wounded after massive explosion rocks diplomatic area of central Kabul. https://t.co/m83D1eO8hX pic.twitter.com/BmLMji5N4x — ABC News (@ABC) May 31, 2017

UPDATE: At least 319 people have been taken to hospitals after the huge explosion in Kabul, health ministry confirms https://t.co/y2tpH2pTXd — BNO News (@BNONews) May 31, 2017

Massive Kabul blast kills, injures 40 in diplomatic quarter, blows out windows at Indian, Japanese embassies https://t.co/qVXRdVr19s pic.twitter.com/mxd3ufZWWI — AFP news agency (@AFP) May 31, 2017

Update: car bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan detonated 400 yards away from US Embassy and in secure section of city. 50 dead, 60 injured. — Jeff Vaughn (@JeffVaughn) May 31, 2017

So the blast film held up pretty well outside my bedroom #kabulattack pic.twitter.com/el1Jov0yOf — Jessica Donati (@jessdonati) May 31, 2017

NEW VIDEO: At least 50 killed or wounded by massive blast from a suicide car bomb in Kabul pic.twitter.com/ZheER05dgT — Breaking911 (@Breaking911) May 31, 2017

JUST IN: Video shows smoke after blast in central Kabul that has killed or wounded at least 50, Afghan officials say https://t.co/m4MrvhUEY7 pic.twitter.com/PdYMIlgjxR — ABC News (@ABC) May 31, 2017

Dozens feared dead and hundreds more injured in suicide car bomb attack near British embassy in Kabul https://t.co/5nr4wbWzVH pic.twitter.com/5qTlU2X1jU — Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) May 31, 2017