Lebanon explosion: Huge blast rocks Beirut

A massive mushroom cloud blast has killed dozens of people in Beirut and injured thousands more. Warning: Graphic content.

A massive mushroom cloud explosion has rocked Lebanon’s capital city Beirut.

At least 73 people — including one Australian — have been killed by the blast and thousands have been injured, and the number of fatalities is expected to skyrocket.

The blast tore down buildings, flattened houses, ripped balconies from apartments, tossed cars from the nearby motorway, and sent a huge plume of smoke billowing across the city.

Shocked Beirut City Governor Marwan Aboud said his city was in the midst of a “national disaster akin to Hiroshima’’.

Lebanese media carried images of people trapped under rubble, some bloodied, after the explosion.

“All the buildings around here have collapsed. I’m walking through glass and debris everywhere, in the dark,” one witness told AFP.

It is not yet clear what caused the explosion, but videos show smoke rising from a fire before the blast. There were also reports of a second explosion.

These videos are getting to me! The Dad protecting his son from the blasts in Beirut. 😪Praying for the people in Lebanon 🙏🏽 may Allah keep you all safe! Love ❤️ pic.twitter.com/muXJId4nba

— Adam Saleh (@omgAdamSaleh) August 4, 2020

Health Minister Hamad Hassan said the blasts had killed at least 73 people and left 3000 injured by the blast, according to “preliminary estimates”.

The number is likely to rise due to the number of seriously injured people, he said, with medical workers among the dead.

“It is a disaster in every sense of the word,” he said in an interview with several television channels while visiting a hospital.

CHAOS IN HOSPITALS

Many hospitals in the Beirut are now overwhelmed, a BBC reporter at one of them said patients were being treated in the hallways and there were blood stains on the walls.

A helicopter puts out a fire at the scene of an explosion at the port of Lebanon's capital Beirut. Picture: STR / AFP

Terrifying video of the Beirut explosion from a car driving on the road next to the port #Lebanon #Beirut pic.twitter.com/KTLYrApCTV

— CNW (@ConflictsW) August 4, 2020

Two hospitals have been evacuated because of the severe damage – one of which is a hospital that was treating coronavirus patients – and many in the city have been experiencing power outages.

The loud blast in Beirut’s port area was felt across large parts of the city and some districts lost electricity.

Preliminary reports by local Lebanese media said the blast may have been the result of an incident at Beirut’s port.

Please, pray for #Beirut, Lebanon.
It's heartbreaking 💔 #بيروت pic.twitter.com/JPvnhUNhwp

— Jawad Ishaq (@Jawadishaq_) August 4, 2020

“Buildings are shaking,” tweeted one resident, while another wrote, “an enormous, deafening explosion just engulfed Beirut. Heard it from miles away”.

Online footage from a Lebanese newspaper office showed blown out windows, scattered furniture and demolished interior panelling.

TRUMP: ‘IT WAS A BOMB’

Although it is not yet clear how the fire leading to the explosion started, US President Donald Trump said it appeared to be a “terrible attack.”

“We have a very good relationship with the people of Lebanon and we will be there to help. It looks like a terrible attack,” Mr Trump told reporters at the White House. “I’ve met with some of our great generals and they just seem to feel that this was not some kind of manufacturing explosion type of an event ... They seem to think it was an attack. It was a bomb of some kind.”

The blast comes at a tense and difficult period for Lebanon, which was already suffering under a number of major crises.

Tensions are so high in the Middle East, that Israel immediately issued a statement saying it was not involved in the disaster.

Iranian-backed Hezbollah also quickly shot down theories that the explosion was related to a weapons facility or an Israeli strike.

A medic tends to the injuries of a woman outside a hospital following an explosion in the Lebanese capital Beirut. Picture: Ibrahim Amro/AFP

“This tragic catastrophe and the unprecedented damage it has created... require solidarity and unity from all Lebanese people, political forces and national actors,” a statement from Hezbollah said.

Residents in Lebanon were suffering under massive inflation and struggled to buy basic goods in some areas — and that was before the pandemic hit.

The government was limiting daily electricity to just two to four hours a day and the nation’s currency plunged 80 per cent.

Tensions are also high ahead of Friday’s verdict in a trial over the killing of ex-Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005.

2,750 TONNES OF EXPLOSIVES IN WAREHOUSE

The explosion erupted in the city’s port area late afternoon on Tuesday. Videos show a fire burning at a warehouse in the area before an enormous explosion.

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Hassan Diab said 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate were being stored in a warehouse. He said this was “unacceptable”.

“I will not rest until we find the person responsible for what happened so we can hold them to account and impose the most severe punishment,” the prime minister was quoted as saying by an official Twitter account.

The death toll is expected to skyrocket. Picture: STR / AFP

“It is unacceptable that a shipment of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate has been present for six years in a warehouse, without taking preventive measures and endangering the safety of citizens”.

Local media reports the chemicals were seized from a sinking ship more than a decade ago.

WORLD LEADERS REACT

Scott Morrison says one Australian has been killed in the explosion. He tweeted a message of support to Lebanon this morning.

He said the building housing the Australian embassy has been “significantly” damaged but staff are well, except for minor injuries.

There has been significant damage to the Australian Embassy in Lebanon. Picture: Google Earth

“Terrible scenes out of Beirut after a major explosion,” he said.

“Our hearts go out to those caught up in this tragedy and to our Australian Lebanese community waiting to hear from their loved ones. Australia stands ready to provide our support, including to any Australians affected.”

The port of #Beirut before and after today’s devastating explosion. #Lebanon pic.twitter.com/6cUziBEdKz

— Sarah Abdallah (@sahouraxo) August 4, 2020

France, the UK and Iran have offered assistance to Lebanon.

British prime minister Boris Johnson said: “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.”