DAMASCUS, March 15 (Xinhua) -- At least three people were killed and 12 others injured as a powerful explosion rocked the al-Raml al-Janoubi neighborhood in the Syrian coastal city of Latakia on Saturday, state-run news agency SANA reported.

Local authorities confirmed casualties and reported extensive damage to surrounding residential buildings, adding that the cause of the blast remained unclear and is under investigation.

Emergency crews have been deployed to the scene, and are searching for more possible victims trapped beneath the rubble.

Meanwhile, sources reached in Latakia told Xinhua that a building in al-Raml al-Janoubi collapsed.

Syria's coastal region, including Latakia, has been through widespread violence since March 6 that has resulted in the death of at least 1,500 people.

According to Syria's Defense Ministry and the UN Human Rights Office, the violence was triggered by coordinated attacks by armed groups loyal to former President Bashar al-Assad on security forces in the Latakia province, and quickly escalated into broader sectarian clashes, predominantly targeting Alawite-majority towns and villages. Enditem

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