Cowering under desks and running for their lives, this is the terrifying moment passengers were caught up in a suicide bomb attack at Brussels Airport today in a series of blasts that have killed at least 34 people and injured 170 across the city.

(Article by Simon Tomlinson, republished from //www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3503928/Two-explosions-heard-Brussels-Airport.html)

• At least 14 people killed after two explosions struck near the American Airlines check-in desk at 8am (7am GMT)
• Reports of a firefight between police and attackers seconds before they shouted ‘in Arabic’ and detonated bombs
• Terrified passengers covered in blood ran for their lives after explosion sent ‘shockwaves’ through terminal building
• Another blast killed 20 at a Metro station near EU headquarters in Maelbeek area of centralBrussels just after 9am
• Two suspects arrested a mile from train station at around 11am as hundreds of troops and police flood the streets
• Comes a day after Belgium minister warned of revenge strikes after arrest of Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam

Cowering under desks and running for their lives, this is the terrifying moment passengers were caught up in a suicide bomb attack at Brussels Airport today in a series of blasts that have killed at least 34 people and injured 170 across the city.

Witnesses described apocalyptic scenes with blood and ‘dismembered bodies everywhere’ after two blasts rocked the terminal at around 8am (7am GMT), killing at least 14 people and injuring dozens of others.

Then 79 minutes later at 9.19am, at least 20 people were killed and scores injured, some critically, when a blast hit a Metro station just 400 metres from the EU headquarters in the city centre.

There were also reports the Tihange nuclear power plant, around 90km from the capital, is being evacuated of all non-essential staff as Belgium raised security to its maximum level.

At the airport, there were reports of a firefight between police and the attackers who shouted in Arabic moments before detonating their bombs.

An unexploded suicide vest was later found in the rubble and a Kalashnikov rifle beside the body of a dead terrorist.

The blasts, which detonated near the American Airlines and Brussels Airlines check-in desks, sent shockwaves through the terminal building, shattering windows and knocking roof tiles off the ceiling as terrified passengers ran for their lives.

The explosions have left countries worldwide reeling, with security placed on high alert, flights cancelled, Eurostar services suspended and France’s border with Belgium shut down.

Two suspects were arrested a mile from the Maelbeek metro station at around 11am as hundreds of troops and police flooded the streets of Brussels in the hunt for members of the terror cell.

Soldiers have been also been deployed at the airport and other key locations across Brussels.

The bombings come just a day after the Belgium Interior Minister warned of possible revenge attacks after the arrest of Paris massacre suspect Salah Abdeslam in the city on Friday.

Passengers shield themselves under bags as smoke and debris fill the terminal in the moments after the twin blast at Brussels Airport

Terrified passengers run for their lives in a cloud of smoke moments after the explosions ripped through the terminal

A police officer directs passengers in a smoke filled terminal at Brussels Airport after two explosions ripped through the terminal

A terrified passenger cowers under a check-in desk moments after two explosions rocked Brussels Airport in a suicide bomb attack today

FIRST ATTACK: At least 13 people have died and dozens injured after two explosions rocked Brussels Airport in a terror attack today

Shocking: Injured passengers are covered in blood and dust after the explosions rocked the terminal building at Brussels Airport

SECOND ATTACK: The image above is being used by the Belgian media who claim this is the damage caused by the bomb at the Maelbeek Metro station in central Brussels 79 minutes after the first attack. It has not been verified but is being widely circulated on social media

Aftermath: A man lies stricken on the pavement as survivors kiss in relief after surviving the bombing at the Metro station in Maelbeek

Two suspects were arrested a mile from the Maelbeek metro station at around 11am as hundreds of troops and police flooded the streets

Two men are pinned to the floor and handcuffed by police as soldiers stand guard near the North station in central Brussels

Photographs from inside the arrivals hall showed the floor covered in fallen tiles and dust as bloodied people hobbled out of the airport. Others injured were photographed lying on the floor.

Video showed terrified passengers running for their lives out of the building.

Firefighters who entered the terminal to search for survivors are said to have found a third unexploded device, while armed police in protective clothing combed the building for more wounded travellers and suspicious bags.

London Mayor Boris Johnson today said ‘there may be one UK casualty’ in the explosions and another Briton is understood to have been injured in the airport attack.

Samir Derrouich, who works at a restaurant in the airport, told MailOnline: ‘The two explosions were almost simultaneous.

‘They were both at a check-in desk. One was close to the Starbucks. It was awful. There was just blood. It was like the apocalypse.’ 

Dries Valaert, 30, was waiting to get his boarding pass from a check in desk when the blast struck.

Read more at: //www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3503928/Two-explosions-heard-Brussels-Airport.html