Two large explosions took place at Zaventem airport in Brussels (Belgium), killing 17 people and injuring dozens.

According to the BBC, many photos on social media taken at the scene showed black smoke rising from one of the airport terminals. Accordingly, an explosion is said to have occurred near the American Airlines check-in area.

Black smoke rose, people ran in panic. Photo: BBC.com

The explosion shattered all the nearby windows. Photo RT

Belgian media reported that all people present at the airport were evacuated. Many images at the scene showed many people panicking and trying to leave the airport.

The airport is now closed, with all flights to Brussels' Zaventem airport diverted to Antwerp. Many planes are still hovering over Liege waiting to land. All metro services to the airport have also been suspended.

Belgian radio station RTBF quoted a witness as saying that many people were injured or unconscious after the explosion.

“I was resting when I heard a loud bang,” Swissport employee Niels Caignau told VRT. “We looked out at the scene and saw a cloud of black smoke. All the windows were shattered. People rushed outside in shock. It was not good at all.”

Sky News Middle East correspondent Alex Rossi, who was waiting for a flight to Tel Aviv, Israel, said he could feel buildings shaking after the two explosions.

Brussels Airport spokeswoman Anke Fransen said there were many people injured: “We can confirm that there were two explosions at the airport. We called the emergency services at the airport and they are taking care of the injured.”

Meanwhile, rescue workers said they discovered more explosives at the airport./.

According to VOV