Lebanese President Michel Aoun called for an emergency cabinet meeting on Wednesday and said a two-week state of emergency should be declared following a massive explosion in Beirut that killed at least 100 people and injured 4,000 others.
The explosion on Tuesday sent shockwaves across the city, causing widespread damage as far as the outskirts of the capital.
Officials said they expect the death toll to rise further as emergency workers dig through the rubble to search for survivors.
The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear. Officials linked the blast to some 2,750 tonnes of confiscated ammonium nitrate that were being stored in a warehouse at the port for six years.
Aoun assembled the country’s High Defence Council following the explosion.
Prime Minister Hassan Diab called for a day of mourning on Wednesday.
Here are the latest updates:
Wednesday, August 5
08:15 GMT – What is ammonium nitrate?
Bags containing ammonium nitrate fertilizer [File: Stephane Mahe/Reuters]
Ammonium nitrate, which Lebanese authorities have said caused the devastating Beirut blast, is an odorless crystalline substance commonly used as a fertilizer that has been the cause of numerous industrial explosions over the decades.
When combined with fuel oils, ammonium nitrate creates a potent explosive widely used in the construction industry, but also by armed groups such as the Taliban for improvised explosives.
Under normal storage conditions and without very high heat, it is difficult to ignite ammonium nitrate. That is because it is an oxidizer – it intensifies combustion and allows other substances to ignite more readily, but is not itself very combustible.
For these reasons, there are generally very strict rules about where it can be stored: for example, it must be kept away from fuels and sources of heat.
07:45 GMT – Beirut blast: Tracing the explosives that tore apart the capital
It was only after a massive explosion ripped through Beirut that most people in Lebanon learned about the 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored in a hangar at the city’s port.
However, analysis of public records and documents published online show senior Lebanese officials knew for more than six years that the ammonium nitrate was stored in Hangar 12 of Beirut’s port.
And they were well aware of the dangers it posed.
Read more here.
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Massive explosion rips through Beirut |
07:05 GMT – Iran offers to treat people injured in Beirut blast
Iran’s president has offered to send medical aid to Lebanon and treat people injured in the massive blast that killed at least 100 people in Beirut.
“Iran announces its readiness to send medical aid to Lebanon and also offers treatment of the injured and other necessary medical assistance,” Hassan Rouhani said, according to state TV.
“We hope that the circumstances of this incident will be determined as soon as possible and that peace will return to Beirut.”
06:45 GMT – UK says too early to speculate on cause of massive blast in Beirut
The United Kingdom has said it was too early to speculate on the cause of a massive blast that ripped through Beirut.
When asked about speculation about the causes of the blast, British junior education minister Nick Gibb said: “The Lebanese authorities are of course investigating the cause of that tragedy and before we have the results of that inquiry it is premature to speculate.”
Gibb also told Sky that Britain was discussing what technical and financial assistance could be offered to Lebanon.
05:55 GMT – Lebanese Red Cross death toll rises to more than 100
People run for cover following an explosion in Beirut’s port area [Mohamed Azakir/Reuters]
George Kettaneh, the head of the Lebanese Red Cross, has said at least 100 people were killed and more than 4,000 wounded in the massive explosion in Beirut on Tuesday.
Kettaneh added the toll could rise further, and that the Red Cross was coordinating with the health ministry for morgues to take victims because hospitals were overwhelmed.
Hello, this is Linah Alsaafin in Doha taking over from my colleague Ted Regencia.
05:40 GMT – Australia mourns Lebanon disaster, one national killed
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed on Wednesday the death of one Australian after a massive blast ripped through the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
“Our hearts go out to all of those in Lebanon and in Beirut in particular at the moment,” he said, adding that the Australian embassy had been significantly impacted.
Officials said they expect the death toll to rise further as emergency workers dig through the rubble to search for survivors.
05:20 GMT – Cyprus says ready to send medical teams to Lebanon
Cyprus says it stands ready to offer medical aid to neighbouring Lebanon after a massive explosion ripped through Beirut port, killing at least 78 people and injuring thousands, Reuters news agency reported on Wednesday.
Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides told state broadcaster CyBCthe Cypriot embassy in Beirut, which was closed at the time of the blast, was badly damaged.
Tuesday’s explosion was heard throughout Cyprus, which lies more than 200km (124 miles) away.
04:50 GMT – India’s Modi ‘saddened’ by Beirut explosion
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was “shocked and saddened” after learning of the large and deadly explosion that hit the Lebanese capital, Beirut, his office said on Wednesday.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families and the injured,” the prime minister’s office added.
It was unclear if there were Indian nationals affected by the blast that killed at least 78 people and injured about 4,000 others.
04:12 GMT – At least three Beirut hospitals destroyed, two damaged
Dr Mirna Doumit, president of the Order of Nurses in Beirut, said three of the city’s hospitals had been destroyed.
“So we had to evacuate patients who were in those hospitals to others. In addition, we have two other hospitals that were partially destroyed. So it was a catastrophe and a big hit to the healthcare system, which was already bleeding,” she told Al Jazeera from the Lebanese capital.
“We lost three nurses working in the hospitals. I don’t find words to describe what happened. It’s like we are in a horror film.”
People gather outside American University of Beirut medical centre [Yara Abi Nader/ Reuters]
Medics move an injured person from Najjar Hospital to another hospital in the Hamra area in Beirut [Nabil Mounzer/EPA]
04:01 GMT – Analyst: Lebanon needs international help to deal with disaster
Nasser Yassin, professor at the American University of Beirut, told Al Jazeera he doubts the Lebanese government will be able to deal with this disaster on its own and called on the international community to provide food support, noting major grain silos had been destroyed in the blast.
“We’ve seen the Lebanese government not taking the right decisions when it comes to the economy, or finances or social issues. And I can imagine that this disaster, this catastrophe, will be dealt by the way Lebanese people do – relying on themselves and the support of their communities,” he said.
“For the coming days and months, we will be dealing with the immediate aftermath, and after that, we really need to look into new ways and new people to govern this country,” he said, adding: “We need more responsible leaders and we need the engagement of the international community to deal with this disaster.”
03:00 GMT – Malaysia offers to help ‘in any way we can’
Malaysian Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein expressed his country’s grief over the Beirut blast, and offered to help in “any way we can”.
“Malaysia stands together in grief as our thoughts and prayers accompany the strong people of Lebanon,” he said in a Twitter post. “We stand ready to support any way we can.”
Malaysia stands together in grief as our thoughts and prayers accompany the strong people of 🇱🇧 Lebanon. We stand ready to support any way we can. Initial reports from our @MYEmbBeirut show that all Malaysians there are safe and have been advised to stay at home #PrayForLebanon pic.twitter.com/tpJJ8HAo5x
— Hishammuddin Hussein 🇲🇾 (@HishammuddinH2O) August 5, 2020
02:25 GMT – At least two Filipinos among the dead
At least two Filipino nationals were among the dead in the massive explosion in Beirut, according to the Philippine Embassy in Lebanon.
The embassy statement also said six other Filipinos were injured in the blast.
More than 27,000 Filipinos are working in Lebanon, according to the latest figures of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs.
02:12 GMT – Customs office blames Beirut port chief for storage of explosives
Badri Daher, the director of Lebanon’s customs office, said his agency was not responsible for the ammonium nitrate stores that triggered a massive explosion that left dozens dead.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Daher pointed the finger instead at Hassan Koraytem, head of the port.
Koraytem could not be reached for comment. The Port Directorate is under the authority of the Public Works and Transport Ministry.
01:40 GMT – Beirut explosion triggers 3.5 earthquake
The massive explosion in Beirut triggered a 3.5 magnitude earthquake, according to Germany’s geosciences centre GFZ.
The explosion, which killed at least 78 people and injured about 4,000 others, was heard and felt as far away as Cyprus more than 200km (124 miles) away across the Mediterranean.
00:01 GMT – Lebanon defence council recommends army oversee Beirut’s security
Lebanon’s Supreme Defence Council recommended declaring a two-week state of emergency in the capital and handing over security responsibility to military authorities.
A council statement, read live on television, said President Michel Aoun has decided to release 100 billion Lebanese pounds ($66m) in emergency allocations from the 2020 budget.
It also recommended, in advance of a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, that a committee be tasked with investigating the explosion and present its findings within five days to mete out the maximum punishment to those responsible.
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Large explosion rocks Lebanon’s capital |
Tuesday, August 4
23:35 GMT – Death toll rises to 78
The death toll from the massive explosion at Beirut’s port has risen to 78, with over 4,000 wounded.
Officials say they expect the death toll to rise further after Tuesday’s blast as emergency workers dig through the rubble to search for survivors.
President Michel Aoun called for an emergency cabinet meeting on Wednesday and said a two-week state of emergency should be declared.
22:47 GMT – Trump says explosion ‘looks like a terrible attack’
US President Donald Trump said the huge explosion that shook Beirut appeared to be a “terrible attack”, but did not present any evidence to back his claim.
“We have a very good relationship with the people of Lebanon, and we will be there to help. It looks like a terrible attack,” 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.”
22:03 GMT – Explosion damages UNIFIL ship, hurts personnel
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said one of its ships docked at the port was damaged in the explosion, leaving a number of its personnel wounded, including some in critical condition.
UNIFIL said it was transporting the wounded peacekeepers to the nearest hospitals and was assessing the situation, including the scale of the impact on its personnel.
“We are with the people and the Government of Lebanon during this difficult time and stand ready to help and provide any assistance and support,” Major General Del Col, UNIFIL head of mission and force commander, said in a statement.
Some pictures from inside Beirut’s mangled port today. pic.twitter.com/ccf3drv3QX
— Timour Azhari (@timourazhari) August 4, 2020
22:01 GMT – US embassy urges people to stay indoors
The US embassy in Beirut warned residents in the capital about reports of toxic gases released by the explosion, urging people to stay indoors and wear masks if available.
21:59 GMT – Beirut declared disaster-stricken city
Lebanon’s Supreme Defence Council, which brings together the president and all major security agencies, declared Beirut a disaster-stricken city.
#Lebanon President called urgent meeting of national defence council, which declared Beirut disaster zone, while PM Diab declared Wednesday day of mourning.”What happened will not pass without accountability,” said Diab.”Those responsible for this catastrophe will pay the price.”
— Zeina Khodr (@ZeinakhodrAljaz) August 4, 2020
21:52 GMT – Investigation committee to determine who is responsible within days
After the council meeting at the Baabda presidential palace, which was also attended by Prime Minister Hassan Diab, the following was announced:
– An investigation committee has been tasked to determine who was responsible for the explosion within five days.
– The families of victims will be paid compensation.
– Import traffic will be routed to the Tripoli port in northern Lebanon.
21:39 GMT – 60 wounded in critical condition
At least 60 of the people wounded in the explosion are in critical condition, according to the Red Cross.
The organisation said it had also set up triage and first aid stations to help people with non-critical injuries.
Lives lost – homes destroyed – a tired and hungry population – Aid agencies reported 500,000 children going hungry in Beirut area alone – and then this … #Beirut – months ago people asked for a new leadership they faced a militarized state https://t.co/0Xfnv3HDah
— Zeina Khodr (@ZeinakhodrAljaz) August 4, 2020
21:11 GMT – ‘Unacceptable’ that thousands of tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored without safety measures: Aoun
Aoun said that it is “unacceptable” that 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate was stored in a warehouse for six years without safety measures, according to statements published on the presidency’s Twitter account.
Aoun also pledged that those responsible would face the “harshest punishments” and said a two-week state of emergency should be declared.
21:00 GMT – Nearly 3,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate at Beirut’s port: Official
General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim said some 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate were in Beirut’s port on the way to Africa when they exploded.
Ibrahim made the comments after the meeting of Lebanon’s Higher Defence Council.
20:54 GMT – Death toll rises to 73
According to Lebanon’s health ministry, the death toll has risen to 73, with 3,700 wounded.
20:45 GMT – ‘I can’t believe I’m alive’: Survivors recount Beirut explosion
Confusing, devastating, disastrous: these were some of the words people in and around Beirut used to describe the huge explosion that ripped through the Lebanese capital.
The explosion at Beirut’s port was felt across the city and beyond, causing widespread damage and spreading panic.
Al Jazeera spoke to survivors and witnesses in the immediate aftermath of the explosion. Read about what they had to say here.
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Hello and welcome to Al Jazeera’s continuing coverage of the massive explosion in Beirut, Lebanon. I’m Ted Regencia in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
For other key developments related to the Beirut explosion from yesterday, August 4, click here.
