Thursday, November 10 2005 10:23 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Amman: A loud explosion rattled the Grand Hyatt hotel in Jordan's capital yesterday (Nov 9, 2005) and smoke was seen rising from the building. One police official said scores of people were believed killed.

A police spokesman, insisting on anonymity in line with police regulations, said the cause of the explosion was unknown.

"We're evacuating people from the hotel. Some are dead and there are many wounded,'' another police official said.

An American businessman who was at the hotel when the explosion occurred, said a bomb went off in the lobby. He declined to identify himself.

A black cloud of smoke was seen rising from the building in the commercial Jebel Amman district following the loud explosion at 8:50 local time (0020 IST). Ambulances were seen rushing to the hotel.