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Beirut Explosion Kills 78, Thousands Injured

Beirut Explosion Kills 78, Thousands Injured

Two massive explosions shook the port area of Beirut, Lebanon on Tuesday 4th August. 78 people are reported dead, thousands of people are injured, and many buildings damaged in the harbor.

AFP news agency reported two explosions in Lebanon’s capital city, with security services confirming the report. Two massive orange fireballs were released into the Beirut sky, followed by shock waves that flattened the port area and swept through the city of Beirut.

The incidence shook the entire city of Beirut and shockwaves reached as far as Nicosia in Cyprus, which is 240 kilometres from the capital.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun has declared a three-day mourning period and ordered an investigation into the incident. In addition, he’s budgeted 100 billion lira, or US$66 million, as an emergency fund to cope with the impact of the explosion.

Furthermore, Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab vowed to find out who caused the explosion with the incident is still under investigation. “What happened today will not pass without accountability. Those responsible for this disaster will pay the price,” said Hassan.

The source of the explosions in Lebanon were initially thought to be a major fire. The fire department rushed to the scene to try to put out the fire.

“There were about 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate, a chemical compound for an explosive component used in mining construction, excavation, and civil construction, stored in the warehouse site of the explosion for six years. Its delivery can’t occur for six years at the warehouse without taking necessary precautionary steps.”

Locals described the explosion in Lebanon as like an atomic bomb. “It’s like a disaster inside. There are corpses on the ground and ambulance is still carrying dead victims,” ??said a soldier in the port area of ??Beirut.

Health Minister Hamad Hasan said, “many people are missing at the moment. The emergency department is flooded with people seeking information about their loved ones. It’s difficult to find at night because there is no electricity.”

One Indonesian citizen is among those injured and is currently in a stable condition and allowed to return home from the hospital. Moreover, Australian Prime Minister Scott Marrison revealed that an Australian citizen was killed, but their identity is not being disclosed.

The German Embassy suffered damage too, including a member of staff being reported injured. “We cannot rule out whether there are Germans among the dead and wounded,” the German Foreign Ministry wrote in a statement.

These devastating explosions in Lebanon reminded Governor Marwan Abboud of the atomic bomb blasts on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan.

“Throughout my life, I have never seen such severe damage. This is a national disaster,” Lebanese Governor Marwan Abboud said.

Source: Detik News

Image: TheSun

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