‘Beirut is a devastated city. We’ve a catastrophe’
The powerful blasts shredded building facades miles from the port, knocking down balconies and shattering windows
Two massive explosions rocked Beirut yesterday, flattening much of the port, damaging buildings across the capital and sending a giant mushroom cloud into the sky. At least 73 people were killed and 3,700 injured, with bodies buried in the rubble, officials said.
Hours later, ambulances still carried away the wounded as army helicopters helped battle fires raging at the port.
The sudden devastation overwhelmed a country already struggling with both the coronavirus pandemic and an economic crisis: Beirut hospitals quickly filled beyond capacity, pleading for blood supplies and generators to keep their lights on.
The cause of the blasts, which sparked fires, overturned cars and blew out windows and doors, was not immediately known. Abbas Ebrahim, chief of Lebanese General Security, said it might have been caused by highly explosive material that was confiscated from a ship some time ago and stored at the port. Local television channel LBC said the material was sodium nitrate.
Witnesses reported seeing a strange orangecoloured cloud over the site after the explosion. Orange clouds of toxic nitrogen dioxide gas often accompany an explosion involving nitrates.
Emergency cabinet meeting today
Lebanese President Michel Aoun said a state of emergency should be declared in Beirut for two weeks, and called for an emergency cabinet meeting today.
It was “unacceptable” that 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate was stored in a warehouse for six years without safety measures and vowed that those responsible would face the “harshest punishments,” his office said on Twitter.
The blast was stunning even for a city that has seen civil war, suicide bombings and bombardment by Israel. It could be heard and felt as far away as Cyprus, more than 240 kilometres across the Mediterranean.
Beirut’s governor, Marwan Abboud, broke into tears as he toured the site, saying: “Beirut is a devastated city. This is a catastrophe we have on our hands.”
“It was a real horror show. I haven’t seen anything like that since the days of the (civil) war,” said Marwan Ramadan, who was about 500 metres from the port and was knocked off his feet by the force of the explosion.
Emergency teams streamed in from across Lebanon to help, and the injured had to be taken to hospitals outside the capital. Health Minister Hassan Hamad said that hospitals were barely coping and offers of aid were pouring in from Arab states and friends of Lebanon.
Some of those injured lay on the ground at the port, Associated Press staff at the scene said. A civil defence official said there were still bodies inside the port, many under debris.
Initially, video taken by residents showed a fire raging at the port, sending up a giant column of smoke, illuminated by flashes of what appear to be fireworks. Local TV stations reported that a fireworks warehouse was involved.
The fire then appeared to catch at a nearby building, triggering a more massive explosion, sending up a mushroom cloud and a shock wave.
Charbel Haj, who works at the port, said it started as small explosions like firecrackers. Then, he said, he was thrown off his feet by the huge blast. His clothes were torn.
Miles from the port, building facades were shredded, balconies were knocked down and windows shattered. Streets were covered with glass and bricks and lined with wrecked cars.
It is unacceptable that 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate was stored in a warehouse for six years without safety measures.”
Michel Aoun | President
Unifil, German embassy staff injured
The explosions wounded staff at the German embassy, the German foreign ministry said.
“The wounded also include embassy personnel,” the ministry said. “We cannot for the moment exclude German nationals figuring among the dead and wounded.” The explosions also damaged a ship deployed with a United Nations peacekeeping force and injured some of its personnel, the Unifil force said in a statement.