A suicide bomber has killed at least 33 people in central Yemen when he blew himself up at a cultural centre where students were celebrating Prophet Mohammad's birthday.

20 bodies, including women and children, were transferred to al-Thawra hospital in the city of Ibb, while 13 more bodies were taken to another hospital called al-Manar.

The provincial governor was reported to be among a number of people wounded in the attack, local residents said.