Based on an analysis of videos, a team from the University of Sheffield estimated that the explosion was the equivalent of 1,000 to 1,500 tonnes of TNT - about a 10th of the intensity of the nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. close. That blast wave levelled buildings near the port and caused extensive damage over much of the rest of the capital, which is home to two million people. He was in his office when the explosion happened. The port's general manager, Hassan Koraytem, confirmed that maintenance was conducted on the door of the warehouse before the explosion. Share page. A devastating explosion in Beirut on 4 August killed at least 200 people and injured thousands. "Beirut port is totally destroyed.". "What we are witnessing is a huge catastrophe," said the head of the Lebanese Red Cross, George Kettani. "It is very, very frightening what is happening right now, and people are freaking out. Emergency wards have been inundated. World leaders have expressed their condolences amid the unfolding tragedy. "People are asking the emergency department about their loved ones and it is difficult to search at night because there is no electricity. We leave it to the experts and those concerned to determine why," Mr Daher told broadcaster LBCI. Documents circulated online appeared to show that customs officials sent letters to the judiciary seeking guidance at least six times from 2014 to 2017. . They all lost their lives trying to save us all from the tragedy we have become. 1 of 59. The blast killed more than 178 people, left more than 6,500 injured, 300,000 people homeless, and severely damaged critical health infrastructure and medical supplies. CNN's Schams Elwazer, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Tara John, Alessandria Masi, Nada AlTaher, Hamdi Alkhshali, Amir Tal, Andrew Carey, Jennifer Hansler and Paul Murphy contributed to this report. The anger and demonstrations have continued even after the government's resignation, with many people seeing last week's deadly explosion as the deadly result of years of entrenched corruption and mismanagement. Lebanon's Prime Minister, Hassan Diab, said that 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive material used in fertilizers and bombs. Footage from the scene captured the injured staggering through streets in the capital, and ambulances, cars and military vehicles packed with the wounded. A massive explosion rocked Beirut on Tuesday, flattening much of the city's port, damaging buildings across the capital and sending a giant mushroom cloud into … "People are asking the emergency department about their loved ones, and it is difficult to search at night because there is no electricity," Health Minister Hamad Hassan. About 30 seconds later, there was a colossal explosion that sent a mushroom cloud into the air and a supersonic blastwave radiating through the city. Lebanon's minister of public works, meanwhile, told Al Jazeera that he found out about the presence of ammonium nitrate in July and spoke to the port's general manager just two days before the explosion. 30 Dec 2020. It was felt as far as Cyprus, hundreds of miles away, and registered as a 3.3 magnitude earthquake in the Lebanese capital. "The real problem is that over time it will absorb little bits of moisture and it eventually turns into an enormous rock," Andrea Sella, professor of chemistry at University College London, told the BBC. A photo posted on social media showed Sahar and seven male colleagues, all of whom are said to have died. Its cargo was reportedly transferred to Warehouse 12 following a court order, and should have been disposed of or resold. What is ammonium nitrate and how dangerous is it? Updated 7:02 AM ET, Thu August 6, 2020 ... A rescue worker walks along a pile of rubble at the explosion site in Beirut, Lebanon, on Saturday, August 8. Ammonium nitrate is a crystal-like white solid commonly used as a source of nitrogen for agricultural fertiliser. By Ghazi Balkiz, Tamara Qiblawi and Ben Wedeman, CNN. Hundreds of people have been reported missing. ... August 5, 2020. The time of arrival of the blast is estimated at 38 distinct positions, and the results are correlated with well-known empirical laws in order to estimate explosive yield. Prime Minister Diab described the circumstances that led to the explosion as "unacceptable" but offered his government's resignation six days later. ", Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif tweeted that his country was ready to help Lebanon "in any way necessary. Emergency wards are inundated with the injured, while the Lebanese Red Cross implored the public on Twitter for blood donations to help the wounded. "We requested that it be re-exported but that did not happen. Lebanon. 15 (As of 17 December 2020) [EN/AR] Format Situation Report Source. "What I felt was that it was an earthquake," Rania Masri told CNN. Ammonium nitrate has been associated with deadly industrial accidents. Rescue crews search a street for survivors on Tuesday night. The impact of this unprecedented explosion, which registered as a 3.3 magnitude earthquake, was felt as far "You can see injured people all over the streets in Beirut, glass all over the place, cars are damaged, it is like an apocalypse," said Bachar Ghattas, another resident. Readings from a seismograph obtained by Reuters showing the explosion in Beirut on August 4, 2020. President Aoun promised a transparent investigation into the blast and at least 20 people have been arrested so far. The officials, who declined to be identified so they could speak freely, said they don't know what the President is talking about. Among the dead who have been identified was Jean-Marc Bonfils, a Beirut-born French architect. Lebanon + 1 more. Mr Bonfils, who was involved in restoring buildings damaged in the city during the civil war, was broadcasting video of the incident live on Facebook after the first explosion but was injured in the second and later died. Lebanese militant and political group Hezbollah said the explosion will require the unity of all Lebanese to overcome the catastrophe. On 4 August 2020, an explosion happened in the city of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon.. Imagery captured on May 31, 2020 and today, August 5, 2020. This image was obtained from a video on social media. Valarie Fakhoury, a British-Lebanese national, stands outside the emergency ward of a hospital in central Beirut following a huge explosion that rocked the Lebanese capital on August 4, 2020. People walk near the scene of the explosion. The Secretary-General of the Kataeb political Party, Nazar Najarian, died after being injured in the explosion, NNA reported. Smoke rises from the site of an explosion in Beirut on Aug. 4, 2020. ", "My thoughts are with the people of #Lebanon and with the families of the victims of the tragic #BeirutBlast," President of the European Council Charles Michel said in a tweet. customs officials sent letters to the judiciary seeking guidance at least six times from 2014 to 2017, investigative journalist Riyad Qobaissi says these letters did not follow the right procedures. Debris litters the floor of the Lebanese Parliament on Wednesday. The UK, Turkey, Qatar and Spain were also among the countries that offered their support to Lebanon. The blast destroyed the immediate dockside area, creating a crater approximately 140m (460ft) wide, which flooded with seawater. REUTERS/Aziz Taher View image in full screen. Christelle Helou hugs the coffin of her cousin Nicole in Sarba, Lebanon, on Thursday. The blast occurred during an economically and politically complex time in the country. Beirut explosion death toll rises to 135 as 5,000 wounded: Live Information minister says army will oversee house arrest of those responsible for storage and guarding at Beirut port. The explosion produces an area of high pressure that travels faster than the speed of sound, shattering glass and injuring people. The death toll from the blast is likely to continue to climb as more bodies are pulled from the wreckage. It is like an apocalypse.". On 4 August 2020, a huge explosion rocked the city of Beirut, shattering glass and causing extensive damage to buildings and infrastructure within a radius of three kilometres. A man whose legs were injured because of the explosion looks at a destroyed house on Friday. Initial reports blamed the explosion on a major fire at a warehouse for firecrackers near the port, according to Lebanese state news agency NNA. So many homes were damaged or destroyed.". The blast comes at a tense time in Lebanon. Share. ", Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said at least one Australian was killed in the blast and the Australian Embassy building has been "significantly compromised.". The best estimate and reasonable upper limit of the 2020 Beirut explosion determined from this method are 0.50 kt TNT and 1.12 kt TNT, respectively. The explosion was near the port in the Lebanese capital. There have been no diplomatic relations since a ceasefire signed between the two countries in 1949. People walk Wednesday along a road littered with debris and abandoned vehicles. A helicopter fights a fire Tuesday at the scene of the explosion. "The EU stands ready to provide assistance and support.". One Beirut resident who was several kilometers away from the site of the blast said her windows had been shattered by the explosion. The last photo of the firefighters from the #Beirut Fire Department. What we know about the massive chemical explosion in Beirut More than 135 people killed, thousands injured, and 300,000 left homeless. But three US Defense Department officials told CNN that as of Tuesday night there was no indication the explosion was an attack. Beirut explosion kills dozens, injures thousands, Here's what we know about the Beirut explosion, Palestinians fight eviction from homes in East Jerusalem, Families of schoolgirls describe anguish after blast kills dozens, See celebrations in Spain as coronavirus curfew ends, 'How can we feel safe? A statue representing the Lebanese expatriate is seen Wednesday in front of a building that was damaged by the explosion. Lebanon: Beirut Port Explosions Situation Report No. "Whatever the precise charge size, this is unquestionably one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history, far bigger than any conventional weapon," said Professor Andy Tyas, an expert on blast protection engineering. Warning: This video contains disturbing content. This satellite image, obtained by CNN from Planet Labs Inc., shows a massive crater at the site of Tuesday's explosion. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced. Asked if he was confident if the explosion was an attack, the President said it "seems like" it was, based on what US military officials have told him. United States President Donald Trump offered sympathy and assistance to the people of Lebanon, referring to the incident as a "terrible attack." ", At least 10 firefighters are missing, according to the city's governor Marwan Abboud, who said the scene reminded him of "Hiroshima and Nagasaki. A woman, whose son is said to be missing after Tuesday's explosion, waits outside Beirut's port on Thursday to receive information from rescue teams. A spokesman at the Ziv Medical Center in Safed, Israel, not far from the border with Lebanon, told CNN that they had been contacted by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and told to prepare for the possible arrival overnight of UN personnel wounded in the blast. A man sits inside a damaged home in Beirut, Lebanon, on Friday. This makes it more dangerous because if a fire reaches it, the chemical reaction will be much more intense. It was a bomb of some kind," he told reporters at the White House. Lebanese broadcaster LBCI and Reuters news agency cited sources as saying the fire was started by welding work being carried out on a hole in Warehouse 12. A fire appears to have triggered the explosion of the ammonium nitrate in Beirut. (AP) Witnesses reported seeing a strange orange-colored cloud over the site after the explosion. At least 78 people are known to have died and a further 4,000 wounded, Hamad Hasan, the country's health minister said, according to Reuters. Smoke rises from the site of an explosion in Beirut, Lebanon (REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir) At least 100 people were killed and nearly 4,000 injured in a massive explosion at Lebanon’s capital Beirut. Six years later, the confiscated ammonium nitrate had not been moved from the port's warehouses. A person hugs French President Emmanuel Macron during his visit to the Gemmayzeh neighborhood in Beirut on Thursday. The blast happened at the Port of Beirut and left at least 215 people dead (with the total expected to go higher), at least 7,500 injured, and many more missing. "What I felt was that it was an earthquake," Beirut resident Rania Masri told CNN. Militants have made bombs with it in the past. French Culture Minister Roselyne Bachelot said that France and Lebanon were united in grief at his death. Wounded people wait to received help outside a hospital. A picture shows the scene of an explosion near the the port in Beirut. Beirut, Lebanon (CNN)A massive explosion ripped through central Beirut on Tuesday, killing dozens of people, injuring thousands and blowing out windows in buildings across the city. A man reacts at the scene soon after the explosion. People run for cover following the explosion. Before and after SkySat imagery shows the impact of yesterday’s explosion in Beirut. The massive explosion in the port of Beirut on August 4, 2020 caused extensive suffering to the people of the city, tremendous damage to its cultural and physical fabric, and dealt a severe blow to multiple economic sectors. Lebanese soldiers watch as a helicopter fights a fire at the scene of the explosion. "We mourn each loss from this terrible tragedy alongside the Lebanese people," the US Ambassador added. However, President Aoun has so far rejected the possibility of any international investigation and has suggested that "external interference through a rocket or bomb or other act" could also have led to the blast. "There are many people missing until now," Hasan said. Many Lebanese were unimpressed by the government's promises of transparency and accountability, and there were clashes between protesters and police. Damage at the site of Tuesday’s blast in Beirut’s port area, Aug. 5, 2020. ", A red cloud hung over the city in the wake of the explosion, which took place just after 6 p.m. local time (11 a.m. A wounded person is carried after the blast.