MOSCOW — An explosion rocked an international terminal of Moscow’s busiest airport on Monday afternoon. There were conflicting reports on the number of dead and injured, but the toll appeared to be rising rapidly. The authorities were seeking to determine the cause.

Moscow police were put on terror alert, the RT television station reported.

Russia’s Interfax Agency initially reported that the blast in the airport, Domodedovo, killed as many as 10 and left many more injured. Russia’s Investigative Committee said there were at least 20 casualties, without differentiating between injured and dead. The Health Ministry reported that 31 people had been killed and 130 injured, according to Ria Novosti.

A spokeswoman from the airport said the explosion occurred in the arrivals hall.

Russian news agencies, citing witnesses, said airport halls were filled with so much smoke that it was difficult to count the dead. International arrivals were being diverted to nearby, according to local news media reports.

The explosion occurred at 4:32 p.m. local time, according to RT television.

The airport, southeast of the capital, is Russia’s largest hub for international travelers, with more than 20 million passengers passing through last year.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/25/world/europe/25moscow.html