A massive explosion rocked the Lebanese capital of Beirut on Tuesday evening (4th August 2020) at around 6:07pm local time, leaving at least 50 dead, over 4,000 injured and over 100 still missing. President Michel Aoun said the blast was caused by 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored unsafely in a warehouse at the City's Port, close to populated areas. Ammonium nitrate is used as a fertiliser in agriculture and as an explosive. President Aoun declared three (3) days of mourning which started on Wednesday.
The explosion tore through the city, flipping cars, shattering glass and causing some homes to crumble. Homes as far as 10 Kilometers (6 Miles) away were damaged, according to witnesses.
Beirut's Governor, Marwan Abboud, told reporters that the explosion has resulted in an estimated US $3 Billion to US $5 Billion worth of damage. NNA, Lebanon's state-run media, reported that 90% of Hotels in the Lebanese capital had been damaged. The blast was even felt in Cyprus, around 240 Kilometers (150 Miles) away, and registered as a 3.3 magnitude earthquake.
In the immediate aftermath of the massive explosion, there were conflicting reports about its cause, and it was initially blamed on a major fire at a warehouse for firecrackers near the City’s Port. United States President Donald Trump added to the confusion when he referred to the incident at an "attack," though U.S Defense Department officials told CNN afterward there was no indication that was the case. Lebanese Officials also raised concerns with U.S Diplomats about President Trump’s use of the word "attack.”
Anthony May, a retired ATF explosives investigator for the U.S Government, said the color of the cloud after the blast suggests there may have been other compounds involved. And Robert Baer, a former CIA operative with extensive experience in the Middle East, said "that orange ball (of fire)" indicated possible military grade explosives.
This is a developing story - refresh this page for updates.
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