Russia says 40 people found alive after arms blasts

Explosions rip through an arms depot in Russia's city of Ulyanovsk in this video framegrab from footage by operator Alexander Fouralyov for the local REN TV channel on November 13, 2009.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Over forty people feared dead in a series of blasts at a Russian arms depot have been found alive, the governor of the region where the explosions took place said Friday.

"I am extremely happy that more than 40 people escaped from that warehouse because they were exactly those people we considered were missing," Ulyanovsk Governor Sergei Morozov told state television.

Morozov was earlier quoted by Interfax news agency as saying 35 missing people were unlikely to be found alive. Media reports said the 40 survivors were rescued from a bomb shelter at the depot.

(Writing by Conor Humphries; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge)