Beirut Explosion: 78 Dead and 4,000 Wounded Due to 2,700 Tonnes of Ammonium Nitrate
Photograph: Hassan Ammar/AP
On Tuesday evening in Lebanon’s capital city of Beirut, two huge explosions in its port sent an enormous blast wave across the city, killing at least 78 people and injuring thousands more. The scale of the damage is huge, with buildings miles from the port lying in ruin. The blast comes at a terrible time for Lebanon, which is on the brink of financial collapse.
Photograph: APAImages/REX/Shutterstock
Lebanon’s prime minister, Hassan Diab mentioned that the cause of the explosion was due to 2,700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, which are the material used for fertilizer and component in mining explosives. Diab declared a national day of mourning for all the victims of the explosion.
Photograph: Wael Hamzeh/EPA
The explosion has resulted in hospitals that are already dealing with the coronavirus crisis and now are in a plea for blood donation and generators to keep the lights up. While currently, Lebanon’s Supreme Defence Council recommends on declaring Beirut a disaster-stricken city by declaring a two-week state of emergency in the capital and handing security over to military authorities. A council statement, read live on television, said President Michel Aoun has decided to release 100bn Lebanese pounds in emergency allocations from the 2020 budget.
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For the moment, the US embassy in Beirut released a statement on advising people to wear a mask and stay indoors due to there is a report of toxic gases released in the explosion. Governments worldwide have offered support, including the UK, France, Australia, the US, Canada, and Israel.
Lebanon has been crippled by a number of long-running, seemingly intractable crises for decades. The country endured a devastating 15-year civil war and has often been caught in the crossfire of regional conflicts.
But the deadly explosion that ripped through the Beirut port on Tuesday – which comes amid the coronavirus pandemic and an economic meltdown – may be the calamity that brings a beleaguered nation to its knees.