Beirut Blast (August 4, 2020)
Beirut Blast (August 4, 2020)
Nearby landmarks include the historic Martyrs' Square; the Gemmayzeh and Mar Mikhael neighborhoods, fixtures of the Beirut bar scene; the landmark Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque; Grand Serail, the government palace; and Baabda Palace, the official residence of the Lebanese President.[13]
Cause
In the immediate aftermath, some local TV stations reported the blast was at Beirut's port inside an area where firecrackers were stored.[2]
Live footage and videos from the scene shows a massive blast and a thick smoke which covered the whole environment.
Storefronts made of glass and a number of windowpanes across the city were shattered in the explosion.
A lot of videos and pictures shared on social media showed doors ripped from their hinges and ceilings filled with gaping holes.[7]
Later, in the early hours of Wednesday morning, 5th August, 2020, Prime Minister Hassan Diab said that about 2,750 metric tons of ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive material, had been stored at a port warehouse for the past six years "without preventive measures."[13]
Ripple Effect
Beirut
The blast shook several parts of Beirut and thick smoke billowed from the city center. Residents reported windows being blown out and and ceilings dropping.
The explosion appeared to be centered around Beirut's port and caused wide scale destruction, as far as 10 kilometres, and shattered windows, lives and properties.
Lebanon's health minister, Hamad Hasan, has spoken of hundreds of people injured and properties destroyed irreparably.
"There are many people missing until now.
People are asking the emergency department about their loved ones and it is difficult to search at night because there is no electricity.
We are facing a real catastrophe and need time to assess the extent of damages," - Hamad Hasan [11]
Among the dead are the secretary-general of the Kataeb political party, Nazar Najarian, according to NNA.
He was in his office when the explosion happened, and died after being critically injured.
Also, The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) revealed that some of naval peacekeepers were injured — some seriously — by the explosion that rocked Beirut on Tuesday.
“UNIFIL is transporting the injured peacekeepers to the nearest hospitals for medical treatment,” UNIFIL said in a statement.
“UNIFIL is currently assessing the situation, including the scale of the impact on UNIFIL personnel.”
A maritime task force ship was also damaged by the explosion.
“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 Stefano Del Col, the UNIFIL head of Mission and Force Commander
Prime Minister Resigns
Nazar Najarian, the secretary-general of the Kataeb Party,died after suffering severe head injuries.French
architect Jean-Marc Bonfils died after suffering serious injuries at his apartment in the East Village building which he designed.The government
formed an investigation committee led by Prime Minister Diab that will submit its findings to cabinet by August 112020.The committee includes
the justice, interior and defence ministers, and the head of the top four security agencies: the Army, General Security,Internal Security Forces and State Security.The investigation would examine
whether the explosion was an accident or due to negligence, and if it was caused by a bomb or another external interference.President Aoun rejected calls for
an international probe despite demands from world leaders.
On August 5,2020, cabinet agreed to place 16 Beirut port officials who had overseen storage and security since 2014 under house arrest, overseen by the army, pending the investigation into the explosions.Lebanon's
prime minister stepped down from his job on August 10,2020 in the wake of the disastrous Beirut port explosions that triggered public fury,saying he has come to the conclusion that corruption in Lebanon is "bigger than the state." In
a brief televised speech after three of his ministers resigned,Prime Minister Hassan Diab said that he is taking "a step back" so he can stand with the people "and fight the battle for change alongside them."
"I declare today the resignation of this government.
May God protect Lebanon," he said, repeating the last phrase three times.
The move risks opening the way to dragged-out negotiations over a new Cabinet amid urgent calls for reform.
It follows a weekend of anti-government protests in the wake of the Aug. 4 explosion in Beirut's port that decimated the facility and caused widespread destruction, killing at least 160 people and injured about 6,000 others.