No Malaysians have been reported injured in an explosion at 135 West 23rd Street, Chelsea in New York, yesterday.

The Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra) in a statement today said that so far, 29 people were reported injured in the blast which occurred at 8.30pm.

"The local authorities are currently investigating the cause of the incident," the statement said.

The Foreign Ministry said it would continue to monitor the situation.

Malaysian citizens in New York who require assistance can contact the Consulate-General in the city via e-mail at mwnewyorkcg@kln.gov.my, or by calling +1(212)490 2722/23.

The public can also get in touch with Wisma Putra at 03-8887 4570 (24-hour hotline).

In NEW YORK, Bernama assistant editor (domestic news service) Muin Abdul Majid said the 8.30pm local time explosion occurred about an hour before the arrival of Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at John F Kennedy International Airport to lead the Malaysian delegation at the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Muin, who is with the Malaysian press entourage for the UNGA, said the hotel where Ahmad Zahid is staying in New York City, near Central Park, is located nearly 40 blocks away from the scene of the explosion, at 23rd Street between Sixth and Seventh avenues in the bustling neighbourhood of Chelsea.

Leaders from all over the world have descended on the famous city of some 8.5 million for the annual UNGA gathering and related meetings.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters last night that "this was an intentional act" but there was no known link to terrorism or to a pipe bomb explosion earlier Saturday in New Jersey at a charity run.

Other city officials said a second device, found near West 27th Street between Sixth and Seventh avenues, had been safely removed.

They said none of those who had been brought to area hospitals had life-threatening injuries as investigations continued to determine the exact cause of the blast.

The White House said President Barack Obama had been apprised of what had happened in New York City and would be updated on developments there.

- Bernama

Related stories

Zahid heads Malaysian delegation at UN General Assembly

Explosion rocks New York, at least 29 hurt