Two massive explosions occurred in Lebanon’s capital Beirut, where around 70 people were killed, and more than 4000 were injured. Many citizens captured the shocking incidents created chaos in the city, where we witness damaging buildings and a giant mushroom cloud in the sky.
According to Germany’s geosciences center GFZ, the blast struck with the force of a 3.5 magnitude earthquake, and it was heard as far away as Cyprus more than 200 Kilometres across the Mediterranean.
Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun stated as the incident as “unacceptable” and said that about 2750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate were filed in the Beirut port warehouse, which is used in fertilizers and bombs, had been stored for six years without safety measures. The incident damaged a large part of the Lebanese Capital.
The incident took place when a two-day grace period was given by the Government before a full lockdown with a curfew to be initiated as to contain the COVID-19 cases as the country saw a vital spike in the cases in the recent weeks.
Not only is the Coronavirus pandemic, but the state also facing its worst economic and financial crisis with unemployment and poverty. And now, with this extensive explosion, the city has been completely shattered.
Hospitals are getting filled up beyond the capacity, pleading for blood supplies and generators to keep them on. When the explosion took place, windows and doors were blown out miles away. Army helicopters helped fight fires roaring at Beirut’s port.
Till now, the purpose of the blast is unknown, as the damages are severe. But it is assumed that a fire must have exploded a warehouse at the port causing this explosion.
Abbas Ibrahim, chief of Lebanese General Security, stated that the incident must have been caused due to highly explosive material impounded from a ship and stored at the port.
The material was sodium nitrate, and some witnesses reported that they saw a strange orange-coloured cloud, which usually occurs when toxin nitrogen dioxide gas is released after an explosion involves nitrates.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also shocked and condemned this incident. He tweeted, “Shocked and saddened by the large explosion in Beirut city, leading to loss of life and property. Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families and the injured.”
Even US President Donald Trump shared his condolences and said, “It would seem like it based on the explosion. I met with some of our great generals, and they seem to feel that it was. This was not a – some manufacturing explosion type of an event. … They seem to think it was an attack. It was a bomb of some kind, yes.”
Article Written by Dikhya Mohanty
Image Source: Google
