Beirut [Lebanon], Aug 5 (ANI): At least 78 people were killed and over 4,000 injured following a powerful explosion that ripped through Lebanon’s capital Beirut on Tuesday, local media reported.
The country’s health minister Hamad Hassan said that the death toll in the blast has reached 78 and that 4000 are wounded in the massive explosion, which shattered buildings and caused widespread damage.
Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab in a televised address to the county warned that those who were responsible for the devastating catastrophe will be held accountable and not go unpunished.
“What happened today will not fly by without accountability. All those responsible for this catastrophe will pay the price. This is a promise I make to martyrs and injured. This is a national commitment,” Diab said.
Lebanon’s interior minister, Mohammed Fahmi was quoted by Al Jazeera saying the explosion was apparently caused by ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse at the port.
National News Agency (NNA) of Lebanon also reported that a warehouse at the Beirut Port caught fire and lead to major explosions, which reverberated in the capital and the suburbs and left behind great damages to the surrounding buildings and a considerable number of wounded.
According to the Lebanese authorities, the blast was likely to have been caused by the detonation of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate that was stored improperly in a warehouse for six years.
Prime Minister Hassan Diab in his address said that currently his government was focussed on handling the disaster and treating the wounded but said facts will soon be put out about the “dangerous warehouse that has been in existence for six years, since 2014.”
“We will cooperate at the level of responsibility, and I urge you to unite to heal the nation’s wounds,” the Prime Minister said.
Explosions were heard over several kilometres away from the blast, which resulted in a large mushroom cloud above the country and blast was even felt as far away in Cyprus, as per reports. The blast was caught on video by several people and dramatic footage of the explosion was shared on social media, eliciting reactions from users across the world.
Among the buildings which suffered damage, including headquarters of Lebanon’s prime minister as well as the Baabda Palace, the residence of the president of Lebanon.
With hundreds of people hospitalised following the massive blast, hospitals in Beirut was suffering from overcrowding, the health minister Hassan said.
“Hospitals in Beirut are overcrowded. The injured should be taken to hospitals outside of Beirut,” Hassan said, as quoted by the Al Jazeera broadcaster.
Leaders from across the world expressed their condolences over the incident.
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent his condolences to Lebanese President Michel Aoun in connection with the casualties and massive destruction caused by the explosion, the Kremlin said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif stated that his country is fully prepared to render assistance in anyway necessary.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the great and resilient people of Lebanon. As always, Iran is fully prepared to render assistance in any way necessary. Stay strong, Lebanon,” Zarif tweeted.
Sputnik reported that according to reports earlier in the day that the explosion began as a short bang, five minutes later white and black smoke emerged and then a powerful blast followed, launching a heavy stream of red smoke into the air.
World leaders offer help, support to Lebanon in wake of Beirut explosion
A ship of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Maritime Task Force docked at Beirut port was damaged in Tuesday’s blast in Lebanon’s capital, leaving some naval peacekeepers injured, the UNIFIL said in a statement.
“As a result of a huge explosion that rocked Beirut Port this evening, one of the UNIFIL ships of the Maritime Task Force docked in the port was damaged, leaving some UNIFIL naval peacekeepers injured – some of them seriously,” said UNIFIL in a release.
“UNIFIL is transporting the injured peacekeepers to the nearest hospitals for medical treatment. UNIFIL is currently assessing the situation, including the scale of the impact on UNIFIL personnel,” the release said.
UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Del Col said: “We are with the people and the Government of Lebanon during this difficult time and stand ready to help and provide any assistance and support.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the people and government of Lebanon, following the horrific explosions in the capital, a statement from a UN spokesperson said.
The UN chief wished a speedy recovery to the injured, including several UN personnel working in Lebanon.
“The United Nations remains committed to supporting Lebanon at this difficult time and is actively assisting in the response to this incident,” Guterres said.
Also, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, President of UN General Assembly,(UNGA) also extended his deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones in the explosion in Beirut and wished a speedy recovery for the injured.
“Muhammad-Bande would like to reiterate his solidarity with Lebanon during this time,” said the Assembly President’s Spokesperson.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said France will deploy a civil security detachment and several tonnes of medical equipment to Lebanon, whose capital was hit by an explosion that left over 70 people dead and thousands injured.
“Emergency doctors will also reach Beirut as soon as possible to strengthen hospitals. France is already engaged,” the French President said in a tweet.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, also extended his deepest condolences to all those affected by the “massive explosion at the port of Beirut.”
“We are closely monitoring and stand ready to assist the people of Lebanon as they recover from this tragedy. Our team in Beirut has reported to me the extensive damage to a city and a people that I hold dear, an additional challenge in a time of already deep crisis. We understand that the Government of Lebanon continues to investigate its cause and look forward to the outcome of those efforts,” he said in a statement.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said his country is ready to provide support in any way it can.
“The pictures and videos from Beirut tonight are shocking. All of my thoughts and prayers are with those caught up in this terrible incident. The UK is ready to provide support in any way we can, including to those British nationals affected,” Johnson said
Israeli people share the pain of their Lebanese neighbours after a devastating blast in the port of Beirut and reach out to offer their aid, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said on Tuesday.
“We share the pain of the Lebanese people and sincerely reach out to offer our aid at this difficult time,” Rivlin said on Twitter.
The German Foreign Office said Germany would offer assistance to Lebanon following the explosion in Beirut.
“We are shocked by the images from Beirut. Members of our Embassy’s staff are among the injured. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims. Germany stands by Lebanon in these difficult moments. We are working to offer immediate support,” the German Foreign Office said on Twitter.
Fully equipped field hospitals from Qatar and Iraq to assist victims of the Beirut port blast will arrive in Lebanon on Wednesday, Lebanon‘s National News Agency reported.
It said two field hospitals, each designed for 500 beds, will be sent to Lebanon by Qatar.
Another hospital will be sent by the Iraqi authorities. Baghdad also pledged to send fuel to Lebanon.
The authorities of Kuwait also promised to send medical aid to Lebanon.
“Greece has sent a medical team with health equipment to help treat those injured,” Al Moussawi added, noting that the authorities were now studying Tunisia’s offer to treat a number of victims in its hospitals.
A large number of the world’s countries, including Lebanon‘s Middle East neighbours, have already offered their assistance to Beirut and extended their condolences over the tragic incident.
Half of the city’s buildings have been severely damaged, and hospitals are overcrowded because of a large number of the blast‘s victims, according to Beirut Governor Marwan Abboud.
Lebanon declared a two-week state of emergency in the capital of Beirut devastated by an explosion in the port, media reported on Wednesday, citing Information Minister Manal Abdessamad.
Earlier in the day, Abboud said that around 300,000 people became homeless. (Sputnik/ANI)
