The consequences of Beirut explosion
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A huge explosion shocked Beirut on Tuesday evening, at least 4,000 were wounded and 100 dead. The cause of the explosion is still uncertain, in the meantime, Lebanon is left ripped apart.
The huge blast shocked the capital of Lebanon on August 4 in the evening. One explosion after the other destroyed dozens of building, after the first blast, people had embraced their smartphones and were able to record videos of the second and larger explosion.
The videos recorded by the residents are now online and witness the shocking event. A huge tower of smoke rose over the port area before another massive explosion shocked the capital, destroying buildings and killing more people. Both explosions devastated a total of 6 miles of buildings around the port area.
The huge explosion that devastated Beirut city centre on Tuesday evening was composed of two massive blasts, the second larger than the first, both located in the port area.
The first blast was at 3.55 pm (BST) and the second at 4.05 pm. A warehouse located in the port is the epicentre of the explosion. The president of Lebanon confirmed that 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate was stored in a warehouse in the port, and had been staying there for six years without any safety measure.
Health Minister Hamad Hasan confirmed the air is now toxic and breathing it could lead to long-term deadly effects. The dramatic videos recorded by witnesses after the first blast show a huge column of smoke rising from the epicentre, followed by a second stronger explosion sending up a fireball into the sky. The smoke immediately covered the sun creating an apocalyptic scenario. Donald Trump commented on the horrific explosion saying it likely was “a terrible attack”. The US President told reporters: “It would seem like it, based on the explosion. I met with some of our great generals and they just seem to feel that it was”.
“This was not a — some kind of a manufacturing explosion type of event. They seem to think it was an attack. It was a bomb of some kind, yes.” Prime Minister Hassan Diab promised those responsible will “pay the price”. President Aoun said a two-week state of emergency will probably be declared.
Israeli authorities said Israel had nothing to do with the explosion and they will provide humanitarian and medical help. Boris Johnson also commented on the devastating accident saying the UK will help Lebanon “in any way we can”.
Health Minister Hamad Hasan confirmed the people wounded in the horrific event were at least 4,000. The blast killed at least 100 innocents, but the numbers are feared to rise. One medic said about 300 people were taken to one single emergency department and commented “I’ve never seen this. It was horrible”. Hasan affirmed residents who can, should now leave the city as the air is currently toxic and could have deadly effects.
“It was like a nuclear explosion” commented a school teacher.
“I saw a fireball. People were running, screaming, bleeding” said another witness.
Residents in Cyprus, which is 150 miles away, heard the blast as it had the force of a 3.5 magnitude earthquake, according to Germany’s geosciences centre GFZ. The number of victims is expected to rise and the consequences are feared to hit Lebanon as a new humanitarian crisis. Before the devastating blasts, the country was already threatened by a huge economic crisis.
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