A massive explosion rocked the capital of Lebanon, Beirut, which took the lives of more than 70 people while injuring at least 4,000 others, says the country's health minister.
Massive Lebanese explosion
Footage shows a large plume of smoke from the massive fire, and then later, a mushroom cloud formed after the blast at the city's port.
According to BBC, the country's officials suspect highly explosive materials that have been in storage for nearly six years were to blame for the incident.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun posted a tweet saying that 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate is stored in dangerous conditions was unacceptable.
Authorities have started an investigation to discover exactly what caused the massive explosion. The country's Supreme Defense Council said the individuals that were responsible would face the maximum punishment possible by law.
Hospitals are being flooded with victims, and several buildings have been destroyed due to the strength of the blast. Some establishments have also started turning wounded individuals away to the overwhelming number of patients.
Other patients had to be transported to hospitals outside of Beirut due to the capacity limit in the city being reached.
After the explosion, President Aoun declared a three-day mourning period for those who have lost loved ones due to the incident. He also said the government would provide 100 billion lira ($66 million) to be used as emergency funds for the country's citizens.
Reporters at the scene noted that the area was filled with dead bodies and showed catastrophic damage to infrastructure, which was severe enough to shut down the port of Beirut temporarily.
Prime Minister Hassan Diab said the incident was a catastrophe and urged the government to punish those who are responsible for the explosion. The official said the dangerous warehouse that stored the hazardous materials was there since 2014 but noted he would not preempt the investigation.
Also Read: Prison Break: ISIS Bombs Afghan Prison Entrance Freeing Hundreds, Killing 29, 300 Still At Large
Catastrophic aftermath
Posts in social media showed people trapped beneath building rubble. One witness revealed that the initial explosion was deafening. Other video footage shows destroyed vehicles and knocked down buildings.
Another witness told reporters that all the buildings in the area have collapsed, and the region was filled with glass and debris.
The Lebanese Red Cross announced it would dispatch every available ambulance from North Lebanon, Bekaa, and South Lebanon to assist in treating and rescuing patients in Beirut, as reported by The New York Times.
The country's public health minister, Hamad Hassan, said his ministry would cover all expenses required to treat those affected at hospitals. He said the decision would include hospitals that had contracts with the department as well as those who do not.
At least ten firefighters have gone missing during the rescue operations, said Marwan, the city's governor, who also noted the scene felt eerily similar to Hiroshima and Nagasaki after the nuclear bombings. Abboud said he had never seen that level of destruction before and called it a catastrophic national event.
Related Article: US Navy Developing New Attack Weapons Against China in Indo-Pacific
