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| 2020 Beirut port explosion happened in Lebanon's capital city of Beirut on August 4, 2020, many people were injured and deaths | Photo: AFP & TOI |
The Beirut Port explosion deaths of at least 218 people, 7000 injuries, and $15 billion in property damage, and left many more missing. Marwan Abdoud, the governor of Beirut, estimated that between 200,000 and 250,000 people were left homeless by the explosion.
What happened?
The explosion occurred just after 6pm local time in Beirut on Tuesday.
Shortly after 6:00 p.m. local time (3:00 p.m. GMT), a fire broke out on the roof of the warehouse, followed by a large explosion. After this, several small explosions occurred. Some witnesses said it sounded like fireworks going off.
About 30 seconds later, there was a huge and terrifying explosion and a huge plume of smoke was seen rising into the sky. At the same time, the terrible ear-splitting sound of the explosion was heard everywhere in the city.
The massive explosion flattened houses near the port and caused extensive damage to the rest of the capital. Twenty million people live in the capital. Hospitals began to overflow with the injured. They have to struggle to nurse the wounded. "We are witnessing a catastrophe before our eyes," said George Kettani, head of the Lebanese Red Cross. "Just dead and wounded people everywhere."
Local media reported that people were trapped under the rubble.
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| After the explosion, coils of smoke can be seen rising | Photo: Getty Image |
An eyewitness said the explosion was loud and deafening. Video footage showed several cars and buildings being destroyed. Video from the port area shows plumes of smoke rising from the site of the first explosion. Many people on Twitter shared videos of the massive explosion taken on mobile phones.
The video posted on Twitter said they live 10 km away from the blast site and the blast shattered the windows of their building. The impact of the explosion was also felt on the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, 240 kilometers away. People there thought that there was an earthquake nearby.
After the first explosion, smoke from another, even bigger explosion could be seen engulfing nearby buildings. The blast was so powerful he thought he was going to die. so many injured people had been brought to a nearby hospital that there was no space available.
Firefighters struggled to put out several fires. The Supreme Defense Council, chaired by President Michel Aoun, held an emergency meeting and recommended the government declare a two-week state of emergency in the capital, Beirut.
How big was the explosion?
Experts have not yet determined the size or magnitude of the blast, but the blast shattered windows in the passenger terminal building at Beirut International Airport. The terminal building is about 9 km (5 mi) away from the port.
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| Snap taken from video footage of the 2020 Beirut explosion | Photo: Researchgate |
The explosion was heard 200 km (125 miles) away in the Mediterranean island nation of Cyprus.
Seismologists at the US Geological Survey said the explosion was as strong as a 3.3-magnitude earthquake.
What is Ammonium Nitrate?
Ammonium nitrate has a variety of uses, but the most common uses are as agricultural fertilizers and explosives. It acts as a highly active explosive when exposed to fire. And when exploded, ammonium nitrate can release toxic gases like nitrogen oxides and ammonia. Because it is a highly flammable substance, strict rules must be followed for storing ammonium nitrate - especially making the storage area fireproof.
Besides, care should be taken that ammonium nitrate does not accumulate in any drains or drains and creates the risk of explosion.
What was the reason?
Lebanese President Michel Aoun blamed the explosion on 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, which he said was being stored unsafely in a warehouse at the port.
The Moldovan-flagged cargo ship MV Rosas docked in Beirut port in 2013 with the same amount of chemicals - 2,750 tonnes. The ship was en route to Mozambique from Georgia and anchored in Beirut due to technical problems.
After inspecting the Rosas ship, it was not allowed to leave the port. A few days later, the owner of the ship abandoned the ship there, according to shiparrested.com. According to the order of the court, the goods of that ship were shipped to warehouse number 12. The chemicals stored in the warehouse were supposed to be destroyed or sold.
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| An injured woman in the explosion | Photo: Getty Image |
Ammonium nitrate is a crystalline white solid that is widely used in fertilizers as a source of nitrogen in agriculture. However, these chemicals are mixed with fuel oil to make explosives, which are used in mining and construction industries. Militants have also used this chemical to make bombs in the past.
Experts say ammonium nitrate is a relatively safe chemical if it is stored properly and securely. However, if this chemical is stored in large quantities for a long time, it starts to deteriorate. "The main problem is that over long periods this chemical absorbs atmospheric vapors and it gradually turns into rock," says Andrea Cella, professor of chemistry at University College London. That makes this chemical even more dangerous because if it catches fire in any way, it can be very intense and dangerous.
Ammonium nitrate explosion from Beirut portfire.
Lebanese media LBCI and Reuters news agency, citing sources, are reporting that the fire broke out during welding work to repair a hole inside warehouse number 12. The port's general manager, Hassan Koreytem, confirmed that some repair work was underway on the warehouse doors before the explosion.
Ammonium nitrate has caused major and fatal industrial accidents. In 1947, a ship carrying 2,000 tons of ammonium nitrate exploded in Texas, killing 581 people.
Death
Most of the 218 people who died were civilians. But among them is French architect Jean-Marc Bonfils of Beirut origin. Mr. in the restoration of buildings destroyed in the civil war. Bonfils was there.
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| A huge hole has now formed in the warehouse where the ammonium nitrate was stored | Photo: EAP |
After the first explosion, he was broadcasting the news of the incident live on Facebook. He was then injured in a second blast and later died.
Firefighter Sahar Fares was the first to rush to the scene immediately after the explosion. Her fiance Gilbert Curran took to Instagram to mourn his future wife's death, writing that he was heartbroken by her death. Pictures of Sahar and seven other male colleagues were posted on social media. All of them are said to have died in the horrific explosion.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said a female diplomat at the German embassy had died in her flat. Abu Merhi of the Lebanon-based cruise company said two people had died and seven others were injured aboard the heavily damaged Orient Queenship.
One American, one Australian, and two Egyptians are said to have died.
Who was guilty?
President Aoun has promised a transparent investigation into the blast. "We are determined to conduct an investigation and find out the cause of the explosion as soon as possible. Those who were negligent and responsible will be severely punished," he said on Wednesday after visiting the devastated port.
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| Lebanese President Michel Aoun promised to punish those responsible | Photo: Reuters |
Prime Minister Hassan Diab described the circumstances in which the explosion took place as "unacceptable". Mr. Badri Daher, director general of Koraytem and Lebanon's customs department, said their warnings about the danger posed by ammonium nitrate stored in warehouses there and their orders to remove them have been repeatedly ignored.
"We requested that these chemicals be re-exported, but it was not done. Now the experts and stakeholders will determine why it was not done," Mr. Cremation.
Documents released online show that customs officials wrote to the judiciary at least six times between 2014 and 2017 seeking advice and guidance. Port officials who were responsible for overseeing the storage of ammonium nitrate at the warehouse have been placed under house arrest by the government pending an investigation.
Many Lebanese are skeptical of the government's commitment to transparency and accountability. They feel that by investigating the allegations of corruption negligence and malpractice against the political elite, they will try to avoid the real responsibility for this terrible explosion.
After the explosion what official says
Lebanon's internal security chief said the explosion occurred in a warehouse containing highly explosive chemicals.
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| Residential buildings near the port were heavily damaged in the blast | Photo: Reuters |
Officials say the explosion was an accident. This explosion was not planned. They say the accident was caused by highly dangerous explosives stored in the warehouse for six years.
Prime Minister Hassan Diab described the incident as a disaster and called for action against those responsible. In a tweet, President Michel Aoun said it was "unacceptable" that explosives such as 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate were being stored in a warehouse insecurely.
Rescue workers are still trying to rescue victims from the rubble. It is feared that the death toll may increase. Authorities said Tuesday that an investigation is underway to determine exactly how the incident happened.
Marwan Abud, the governor of Beirut, said about 300,000 people were temporarily homeless and the total amount of damage could be between 1000 and 1500 million dollars.