Jordan said a series of massive explosions that rocked the city of Zarqa early on Friday was likely caused by an electric short circuit at a nearby army munitions depot. There were no immediate reports of casualties from the explosions which took place in the desert east of Jordan’s second-largest city, the government and the army command said. Huge orange flames lit the desert night sky and could be seen as far away as the capital Amman, 35 kms (22 miles) to the southwest. “We felt like an earthquake had struck. Our windows shook and glass shattered. My kids started crying,” said Zarqa resident Nabila Issa, a housewife and mother of five children. Security forces sealed off Zarqa, a sprawling industrial city of 1.5 million people, and prevented traffic from leaving or entering. Journalists wanting to travel through Zarqa to the blast site about 10 kms to the east were prevented from doing so. The desert area where the explosions took place houses several major US-equipped army bases including an airfield built in 2018. Following the explosions, security forces sealed off Zarqa, a sprawling industrial city of 1.5 million people, and prevented traffic from leaving or entering. Journalists wanting to travel through Zarqa to the blast site about 10km (6.2 miles) to the east were prevented from doing so.