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ISIS has claimed responsibility after Egypt was rocked by two bomb blasts in churches in different areas of the country as worshippers celebrated Palm Sunday.

Around 30 worshippers are thought to have been killed and at least 78 injured after a bomb exploded inside a church in Tanta during a televised Palm Sunday service .

Then hours later a suicide bomber was said to have targeted a Coptic church in the northern city of Alexandria.

Eyewitnesses describe the scene as chaotic with people crying in the streets and ambulances rushing to the area - which has been closed off by police.

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Reports say 11 people have died - including a policeman who was believed to have tackled the bomber - at the Church of St Mark in the city, and 66 people have been injured.

Four of those who died are believed to be police officers.

Egyptian State Television said the explosion in front of the church in Alexandria was a suicide bombing.

Pope Tawadros, who had attended mass at St Mark's Cathedral, was still in the building at the time of the explosion but was not harmed, the Ministry of Interior said.

Local reports say Egyptian security is working to dismantle a second bomb in the vicinity.

(Image: EPA) (Image: EPA)

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Thousands gathered outside the church in Tanta shortly after the blast, some wearing black, crying, and describing a scene of carnage.

"There was blood all over the floor and body parts scattered," said a Christian woman who was inside the church.

"There was a huge explosion in the hall. Fire and smoke filled the room and the injuries were extremely severe," another Christian woman, Vivian Fareeg, said.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Prime Minister Sherif Ismail are set to visit the Tanta site on Sunday and Sisi has ordered an emergency national defence council meeting, state news reported.

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In Tanta - 125km from Alexandria - security officials said the blast was caused by an explosive device under a seat at St George Church, a large Christian place of worship in Tanta - the country's fifth largest city.

Officials are now reporting 30 people had been killed while 78 were wounded in what government officials described as a terror attack.

The official death toll has yet to be confirmed.

Ahmed Abu Zeid, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, tweeted: "Terrorism hits Egypt again, this time on Palm Sunday . Another obnoxious but failed attempt against all Egyptians."

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Egyptian Prime Minister Sherif Ismail is reported to be travelling to the church.

Security sources claimed the blast was caused by a bomb found under a seat.

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Egyptian state media reported more than 50 people have been wounded with many said to have life-threatening injuries.

Gruesome pictures taken inside the church show bloodied victims being helped by horrified bystanders among the rubble.

While state television footage showed a large number of people gathered around bodies covered with papers.

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(Image: @Hamosh84/Twitter)

The blast coincides with Palm Sunday - which marks the moment when Jesus entered Jerusalem in triumph.

Witnesses told how military police and ambulances raced to the scene.

(Image: Twitter/ @ Reyhan_News)

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby was among those to condemn the attack.

He wrote on Twitter: "Evil attacks at St George's Tanta Egypt. As we come to Easter pray for victims, the justice of the cross, hope & healing of resurrection."

A bombing at Cairo's largest Coptic cathedral killed at least 25 people and wounded 49 in December, many of them women and children, in the deadliest attack on Egypt's Christian minority in years.

The blast comes just one week before Easter and in the same month Pope Francis is scheduled to visit Egypt.

Christians make up around 10 per cent of Egypt's population and have repeatedly been targeted by Islamic extremists.