4 August at about 19 hours local time in the port of the Lebanese capital of Beirut, a huge explosion occurred, shock wave from which reached not only neighboring cities, but even before being in 200 kilometers from Beirut Cyprus.
Five months remaining in 2020
Massive blast in lebanon’s capital #Beirut. Prayers and thoughts are with the people of lebanon. ????????
Literally Speechless. All of us are Clowns in front of Almighty ????????pic.twitter.com/BYHPOs4ZVY— Piyush (@Attitude_Wala) August 4, 2020
The explosion was preceded by a fire: some of the media, citing local residents, claim a fire in one of the warehouses, others - about, that the fire initially began to spread on one of the ships moored in the port.
words can not describe how sad I am for Beirut, Lebanon. It’s never a bad time to tell your loved ones how much they mean to you. ???? #بيروت pic.twitter.com/zqMs3Pgs5Y
— Agron (@Agronveliu97) August 4, 2020
According to local residents, they don't remember anything like that since the Second Lebanese War 2006 of the year.
The editors of the Rybar Telegram channel talk about, what is known at the moment about the explosion in Beirut.
The scale of destruction
Explosion in Beirut port has disastrous consequences for residents and urban infrastructure. The sea harbor was so destroyed, that its appearance resembles a panorama of the area after bombing or disaster strikes.
Video shows the devastation at Beirut Port pic.twitter.com/bvHqihhJp4
- Aurora Intel – #StayHome (@AuroraIntel) August 4, 2020
I’m sick. Lebanon can not take one catastrophe. ???? From my sister in-law, some photos of the immediate aftermath of the explosion in Beirut: pic.twitter.com/iSPKnhAtw0
— Sarah Kallassy (@SarahKallassy) August 4, 2020
The blast wave passed through the streets and institutions of Beirut, seriously damaging and destroying both buildings, and vehicles. Lebanese Defense Council declares capital a natural disaster area.
WATCH: Aftermath of the explosion in Beirut pic.twitter.com/7y8TRDHVbK
— BNO News (@BNONews) August 4, 2020
Estimating the death toll is extremely difficult. Videos with charred bodies from the city port area have already appeared on the web.
Originally stated about 10 killed, then their number grew to 50. The number is not final, and the number of deaths from the explosion and its consequences can be up to several hundred or even more. Astronomical figures of two thousand dead have already appeared in Arab social networks, that, true, not confirmed by anything. The Lebanese Ministry of Health and the Red Cross announced figures from above 4000 victims and 73 dead at the time of publication.
– Minister of Health: ” Martyrs are now 50″.
— ???????? Lebanese News and Updates (@UpdatesLebanese) August 4, 2020
The explosion burns the entire city at a distance 5 A kilometer and there is news of a death 2000 A person was injured and 5,000 people were injured in the explosion, as a preliminary result of the explosion .
And Israel denies its relationship to the explosion that occurred in Beirut. Any blast its distance 5 kilo!!!!????
Israel the Great Satan # From_Bagdad_Beirut_Salam pic.twitter.com/DtzC9KHybb- Zainb Altamimi (@AltamimiZainb) August 4, 2020
Medical services report huge numbers of injured and maimed, and there may be several thousand. According to local residents, Beirut hospitals run out of beds, but you have to operate in corridors and utility rooms. An active search for donors is underway.
In the east of the country in the Bekaa, hospitals and hospitals prepare to urgently receive casualties.
The scene at Beirut’s Hote Dieu Hospital is catastrophic. The wounded line corridors and some are on the floor. Scores are being turned away. People are crying. The hospital itself has sustained damage. @AJEnglish pic.twitter.com/Drv24MUc6Z
- Timour Azhari (@timourazhari) August 4, 2020
Hospitals in Beirut are in an urgent need of all blood types. People residing in Beirut or those who know Lebanese please help. We have attached a picture containing all the details of the blood banks in Lebanon. Please call them up if you can help and please contact @DSCLebanon pic.twitter.com/85SbU8hOq1
— The Tae Print (@thetaeprint) August 4, 2020
Among the dead is Nizar Najaryan, Secretary General of the Right-Christian Kataib Party. Party supports Syrian Spring factions and opposes Hezbollah.
General Secretary of Lebanon’s Kataeb Party, Nazar Najarian, has died due to the blast in #Beirut. pic.twitter.com/c8UOWLPPRJ
— SV News ???? (@SVNewsAlerts) August 4, 2020
Ar-Rume hospital seriously damaged: one of the walls collapsed in it, the building itself is de-energized, which complicates the evacuation of personnel and patients. The hospital management asks the hotel and home located in the vicinity to help with the accommodation of people.
– Al Roum hospital that collapsed from the shock wave is asking for an electriciry generator in order to evacuate the patients from the building.
— ???????? Lebanese News and Updates (@UpdatesLebanese) August 4, 2020
The explosion also damaged the building of the Russian embassy., located a few kilometers from the epicenter.
Explosion in Beirut damaged the building of the Russian embassy://t.co/HK7whDF0jI pic.twitter.com/EmyNIANnPp
- RIA Novosti (@rianru) August 4, 2020
Reasons for what happened
The cause of the explosion is not reliably known.
Initially reported fire in a fireworks warehouse, which led to the detonation of the pyrotechnics stored in the premises. However, city services and residents do not support this assumption., Noting, that the power of the explosion was too great for pyrotechnics.
via signal. fireworks and then an explosion
Pray For Everyone ????
It’s unbelievable ????????????????#Beirut #Lebanonpic.twitter.com/Vvgzys17Ap— MONSTER ???????? (@ vishwavel17) August 4, 2020
According to another version, the fire exploded a warehouse with confiscated nitrate fertilizers, which were stored there since 2014 of the year.
???????? IMPORTANT ????????
Prime Minister of Lebanon, Hassan Diab:
▪️ “We will reveal information about this dangerous warehouse that has been there since 2014. Those responsible must pay, but not before the investigation concludes”
▪️ “All of Lebanon faces a catastrophe” pic.twitter.com/ZmQYTBUFBC- Deciphering the War (@descifraguerra) August 4, 2020
Saudi and Emirati resources are spinning the version of the detonation of the Hezbollah ammunition depot, located in the underground storage of the city port: So, they approve, that in the area of the sea harbor the group had a missile manufacturing plant.
Beirut explosion is in area known to be used by Hezbollah for its long-range precision-guided missile project, which Israel publicly calls a red line. I have no specific knowledge, but would be surprised if explosives that detonated were not associated w/ that project. 1/
— Noah Pollak (@NoahPollak) August 4, 2020
The version of the Israeli Air Force airstrike on the Hezbollah object was also considered., however, how is Israel, so the group itself denied these rumors.
BREAKING:
Both Israel AND Hezbollah deny devastating Lebanon blasts were a rocket attack#BeirutExplosion #LebanonExplosion #Lebanon #Beirut
MORE:— RT (@RT_com) August 4, 2020
Telegram channel Imp Navigator reports, that ammonium nitrate in the port of Beirut could be taken from a detainee in 2013 year of the ship Rhodus, flew under the Moldovan flag from Georgia to Mozambique. Due to violation of the rules for the operation of the vessel, it was arrested in the port and abandoned by the owner for a year. Cargo in 2750 tons of ammonium nitrate were unloaded at the port.
The same version was confirmed by the Lebanese TV channel LBC international. They said there, that the explosion 2700 tons of saltpeter in the port occurred during welding.
Reaction
Lebanese Prime Minister announced, that the country alone will not cope with the consequences of the explosion and called on other countries for help. Several countries immediately announced their emergency readiness to assist the Lebanese in eliminating the consequences of the disaster. Among them were Russia, Egypt, Iraq, USA, Turkey, France and other states. Israel also offered humanitarian aid, with whom Lebanon has no diplomatic relations.
The Israeli Telegram channel "Israeli labor days" with reference to sources in the Israel Defense Forces reports, that an agreement has already been reached to evacuate the injured UN observers to Israel.
Under the direction of Minister of Defense, Benny Gantz and Minister of Foreign Affairs, @Gabi_Ashkenazi, Israel approached Lebanon through international defense and diplomatic channels to offer the Lebanese government medical humanitarian aid.
Bnei Gantz – Benny Gantz (@gantzbe) August 4, 2020
5 August, the country officially declared mourning for the victims.
What's next?
Lebanon, already on the verge of collapse, was damaged by the explosion. The damage to the economy is catastrophic: billions of dollars worth of goods destroyed in the port, city infrastructure destroyed, the work of public services is difficult. The number of Lebanese living below the poverty line previously reached 40%, and due to the consequences of the explosion, the level of poverty could potentially rise by 1.5 times.
Fantastic versions of involvement in the explosion of Hezbollah are already being rolled out on the Internet: USA, the Gulf countries and other opponents of the organization have never missed an opportunity to blame the group for all the troubles, and in this case, they willingly use the opportunity that has arisen to sharply increase the pressure on Hezbollah, even if it turns out, that the organization was not at all involved in the explosion.
However, nothing new - there would be a reason, and there are vultures. The sooner the bad, which returns (lat. Trouble comes faster, than leaving).
Author: fishermen
