Officials from Lebanon are still evaluating the fatal aftermath of Tuesday's massive explosion in Beirut. The total of fatalities now stands at over 135 people with 5,000 injured and a surmised 300,000 people have had their homes damaged or destroyed, lacking proper shelter. However, one salvaged moment was a mother in labor.
The massive blast ripped through the Lebanese capital on the 4th of August.
While thousands of locals were carrying out mundane daily tasks such as going to work and other citizens preparing for big events such as weddings, the birth of a child came to a halt in a matter of seconds.
According to her husband Edmound, Emmanuelle Khnaisser was preparing to give birth as the devastating incident hit Beirut. Edmound captured the blast and the safe delivery of their baby boy on a footage, reported CBS News.
Emmanuelle gave birth at St. George's hospital in Beirut. Their son, George, arrived shortly after the ordeal and the mother and her baby are currently both doing well, indicated BBC News.
The tragedy has stunned the globe but has caused a deeper, more distinctive grief for Lebanese citizens. Survivors depicted the blast as if it was a nuclear bomb and they have never experienced it notwithstanding Lebanon has had many wars transpired, reported KPBS.
The blast tore through the mother in labor's hospital room. The footage displayed the hospital's windows smashing following Emmanuelle being wheeled into the delivery room.
Social media has for the past 2 days been surged with gut-wrenching photographs and videos of the aftermath people faced.
Also Read: How to Help Beirut, Lebanon Explosion Victims, and Other Causes
The aforementioned video was captured by Edmound as he awaited eagerly outside the delivery room. Even as he was terrified by the blast, he continued filming.
According to Edmound, "My son George was born under a catastrophic blast, I did not believe we came out alive."
The carelessness of the government was blamed for the fatalities, injuries, and people losing shelter.
The blast was reportedly prompted by tons of amyl nitrate fertilizer that was stockpiled unsafely for years at Beirut's port. Allegations have been made that such errors are a trademark of the current Lebanese regime.
"At that time we moved to the delivery room and the nurses and doctors were preparing a bed for him," the husband continued. "Just about 20 seconds, they were preparing everything, it happened and we heard a sound (explosion) and everything was shattered, the glass, the instruments, everything, nothing left."
Doctors and nurses who were working in an almost-darkness following the blast paved the way for the safe delivery of the baby boy. Edmound captured photographs of the entire labor process of the mother, later lauding the health care workers on social media.
In a KPBS podcast, it was said that this disaster falls on the current administration's responsibility. It was added that there no excuse or reasons to say that it is the manager's fault or whoever's fault as the Beirut port is monitored.
