Jubilee Post News & Views
Special Desk
On Wednesday Prime Minister Hassan Diab declared day of mourning in Lebanon after a powerful blast devastated the port in the capital city of Beirut, killing at least 73 people and injuring 3,700 others.
Casualty figures may rise as crews worked their way through rubble of damaged buildings and people searched for missing family and friends. Injured were evacuated after a massive explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday.
The exact cause of Tuesday’s blast was not clear, but Lebanese officials put the focus on what they said was tons of ammonium nitrate that had been stored at port warehouses for the past six years.
A video of the blast also went viral across the globe. The explosion took place in the evening, sending a huge mushroom cloud into the sky and shockwaves that blew outdoors and windows far from the port, overturned cars and damaged numerous buildings. In the aftermath, hospitals were overrun with people seeking care.
The U.S. Embassy in Beirut urged people to stay inside due to reports of toxic gases being released in the blast. Leaders called for a quick investigation, with Diab pledging those responsible will pay the price.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun, who called an emergency cabinet meeting Wednesday, said those accountable would face the severe penalties. “It is unacceptable that a shipment of ammonium nitrate estimated at 2750 tons has been present for 6 years in a warehouse without taking preventive measures that endanger the safety of citizens,” Aoun tweeted.
French President Emmanuel Macron said France was sending government personnel along with emergency doctors and several tons of medical equipment to Lebanon to help with recovery efforts.
The United Nations also said it was helping with the response and “remains committed to supporting Lebanon at this difficult time.”
A spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he “expresses his deepest condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the people and Government of Lebanon.
