Lebanese Health Minister Hamad Hassan confirmed on Tuesday evening that at least 30 people were killed and nearly 3,000 injured as a result of the explosion that occurred in Beirut Port.
The explosion shook separate parts of the Lebanese capital, Beirut, and sent shock waves around the Lebanese capital, shattering the glass facades of buildings, and balconies collapsed.
The most violent explosion in Beirut in years shook the ground, and some residents even believed that there was an earthquake. People took to the streets in astonishment, with tears falling and some of them were injured trying to find out what happened to their relatives.
The National Media Agency in Lebanon and two security sources stated that the explosion occurred in a bunker warehouse in Beirut Port. A third security source said that there were chemicals stored in the area.
Video footage of the explosion circulated by residents on social media showed a plume of smoke rising from the port area, followed by a massive explosion. And it seemed that the sound of the explosion was so great that those who were photographing its first moments fell to the ground.
The official account of the Lebanese presidency on Twitter stated that President Michel Aoun called for an urgent meeting of the Supreme Council for National Defense.
There are conflicting reports about the cause of the fire that led to the explosion or the type of explosives that were in the warehouse