At least 38 killed and dozen others injured in massive bomb blast near police academy in capital Sanaa.

A car bomb has exploded outside a police college in Yemen's capital Sanaa, killing at least 38 people, police sources and residents in the area have said.

Police source said on Wednesday that at a dozen others were wounded in the explosion that targeted centre of Houthi fighters near the police academy officers’ club.

The blast was heard across the city and a large plume of smoke was visible in the area of the college.

Al Jazeera's Omar al Saleh, reporting from Sanaa, said the pictures coming out from the scene suggest the number of casualties is likely to rise.

No one has claimed responsibility.

Security in Yemen has diminished since a 2011 popular uprising that led to a change of government and splits in the army. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), one of the movement's most active wings, has staged a growing number of bombings and shootings across the country.

AlJazeera/LY