MOSCOW (AP) — A fire has engulfed a sprawling ammunition depot in Kazakhstan, injuring at least 16 and forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands.

Authorities in Kazakhstan also halted railway traffic in the area following Monday's explosions at the depot near the town of Arys in the Shymkent region in southern Kazakhstan.

The government has introduced a state of emergency and began evacuating Arys' 45,000 residents.

The explosions at the depot have been powerful enough to have been registered by the nation's seismic service.

The cause of the fire wasn't immediately clear.