Two people were killed and dozens more were injured when a homemade rocket misfired during the annual Rocket Festival in northeast Thailand.

Excited villagers gathered to witness the DIY missile launch into the sky - only for it to explode near the ground and shower onlookers in shrapnel and sparks at the Ban Sang Bu temple in Roi Et province on June 16.

Emergency services medics who arrived at the scene said more than 30 people were injured, six of them critically. Some individuals reportedly suffered burns, head trauma, and broken limbs from the force of the blast.

The injured were rushed to the Phon Thong District Hospital.

Festival organisers said the event was halted immediately, and police later visited the scene to collect evidence.

Villagers believe the rocket may have contained an excessive amount of gunpowder and failed to comply with safety standards.

Local media reported that community leaders were contacting the rocket maker to ask for compensation regarding injuries and damages.

The Bun Bang Fai Rocket festival is celebrated in several provinces in the northeastern part of the country. It has even been the subject of documentaries and movies.

In Thai, ‘bun' means ‘merit, ' and ‘bang' means bamboo, which is used to make rockets. ‘Fai' means ‘fire' representing gunpowder being stuffed into the rockets.

According to local beliefs, the rockets are launched skyward as an offering to Phaya Thaen, the Buddhist deity associated with rain.

The event happens each year at the end of the hot season when temperatures reach 40 degrees Celsius.

Locals believe firing rockets into the clouds triggers the much-needed rains for their rice crops. However, the resulting rain is likely due to the onset of the monsoon season.