Blast site resembles a post-nuclear landscape
Site of the massive blast resembles a post-nuclear landscape
Residents of Beirut confronted a scene of utter devastation yesterday, a day after a massive explosion at the port rippled across the Lebanese capital, killing more than 135 people, wounding thousands and leaving entire city blocks blanketed with glass and rubble.
Smoke still rose from the port, where a towering building of silos was half destroyed, spilling out grain. Hangars around it were completely toppled. Much of downtown was littered with damaged vehicles and debris that had rained down from the shattered facades of buildings.
Port engulfed in fire
An official with the Lebanese Red Cross said more than 135 people were killed and at least 5,000 were wounded, warning that the toll could rise further. With the entire port engulfed in fire, ships ablaze at sea and crumbling buildings, the site of the massive blast resembled a postnuclear landscape.
Search for loved ones
A woman in her twenties stood screaming at security forces, asking about the fate of her brother, a port employee. “His name is Jad, his eyes are green,” she pleaded. Ambulance sirens rang throughout the area as vehicles ferried the dead out for at least three hours and fire trucks rushed in and out of the blast zone. Exhausted firemen were rushing to the scene, some searching for colleagues sent in earlier to put out the initial fire before the bigger explosion shook the city.
‘Corpses everywhere’
With the help of the security forces, civil defence teams scoured the area for corpses, as officers screamed at reporters who were trying to document the disaster. “What are you taking pictures of? There are corpses everywhere,” said one of them. Amid the devastation and the rubble around the city, there were signs of public anger already brewing.