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‘I’m seeing an apocalypse’: journalist Sara Moussa describes Beirut blast horror

People screaming, crying, bleeding. Every window smashed. These are the scenes in Beirut in the wake of devastating explosion.

A Lebanese army soldier and a man carry an injured man to a hospital in the aftermath of an explosion at Beirut’s port. Picture: AFP
A Lebanese army soldier and a man carry an injured man to a hospital in the aftermath of an explosion at Beirut’s port. Picture: AFP

Devastated Beirut is “in a state of agony, a state of pain”.

Journalist Sara Moussa, who assists with translations for The Australian’s coverage in Lebanon, said she was worried for her country after she witnessed “the whole place destroyed”.

Journalist Sara Moussa was at home in our Beirut when an explosion rocked the city.
Journalist Sara Moussa was at home in our Beirut when an explosion rocked the city.

“I don’t know how the country will get out of this,” she said in a series of voice messages this morning.

“I don’t think anyone knows what tomorrow will hold.”

Her first thought was there had been a shocking repeat — but ten times stronger — of the 2005 truck bomb assassination of ex-prime minister Rafic Hariri and 21 others.

“It felt like it is another series of assassinations,” she said.

Watch: Horrific moment mushroom cloud explosion rocks Lebanon’s capital city Beirut

“Lebanon is going through a very harsh economic crisis and the explosion and smoke looked like it came from Hariri’s house (where his son, ex-prime minister Saad Hariri currently lives).”

Ms Moussa took the streets straight away, flagging down a taxi with a smashed windscreen, to get downtown.

“I am seeing an apocalypse,” she said.

Smoke and Dust Blanket Beirut Street After Massive Explosion in Port Area

“People are shouting, motorcycles screaming by, every single window is smashed, every single window. Through all the windows, people are crying, people are bleeding, some of the windows fell on cars on the street.

“The taxi driver is crying, driving to downtown. I have never seen anything like this — I cover a lot of news, but nothing like this. The whole place is destroyed, I don’t know how the country will get out of this.’’

A man carries an injured girl while walking through debris in the Achrafiyeh district of Beirut following the devastating explosion that rocked the city earlier today. Picture: AFP
A man carries an injured girl while walking through debris in the Achrafiyeh district of Beirut following the devastating explosion that rocked the city earlier today. Picture: AFP

On her way to the port Ms Moussa stopped and asked government officials and army soldiers on the street what was happening, but everyone was confused.

“No one knows if it’s an Israeli attack, or a terrorist attack or an explosion at the warehouse in the port,” she said.

An injured man lies at the back of a car before being rushed away from the scene of a massive explosion at the port of Lebanon’s capital Beirut. Picture: AFP
An injured man lies at the back of a car before being rushed away from the scene of a massive explosion at the port of Lebanon’s capital Beirut. Picture: AFP

She then headed to the hospitals where there was an urgent call for blood donations from all political parties. Nurses who had been laid off in recent weeks are turning up, volunteering to help.

“It’s a scene of people rushing to help and people rushing for help,” Ms Moussa said, adding that the hospitals were overrun and overwhelmed.

“It is really, really bad. This city is in a state of agony, a state of pain. I don’t think anyone knows what tomorrow will hold.”

As darkness fell, Ms Moussa said people were still awake, agitated and uncertain. Her phone was filled with messages from people checking on loved ones.

There is “a lot of stress and pain”, she reported.

Jacquelin Magnay
Jacquelin MagnayEurope Correspondent

Jacquelin Magnay is the Europe Correspondent for The Australian, based in London and covering all manner of big stories across political, business, Royals and security issues. She is a George Munster and Walkley Award winning journalist with senior media roles in Australian and British newspapers. Before joining The Australian in 2013 she was the UK Telegraph’s Olympics Editor.

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/im-seeing-an-apocalypse-journalist-sara-moussa-describes-beirut-blast-horror/news-story/5f648b7dbcff53e67b3560042e8cb659