China News Service, August 5th. Comprehensive foreign media reports that a violent explosion occurred in the port area of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, on August 4, killing 78 people and injuring about 4,000. The government expects the death toll will increase. At present, the specific cause of the explosion is not yet known. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) released a schematic diagram of the explosion area. The governor of Beirut stated that a large number of buildings in the city were damaged and the hospital was overcrowded with a large number of wounded.
On August 4, a violent explosion occurred in the port area of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. The approximate area of the explosion is shown in the picture. (Image source: BBC Sinicization: Bian Lei of Chinanews)
On the evening of August 4, local time, a violent explosion occurred in the Beirut port area. The governor of Beirut stated that half of the buildings in the city were damaged and the hospital was overcrowded with a large number of wounded. Al Jazeera reporters said that the vicinity of the explosion site looked like a piece of "ruins" and said that "the car was bombed on the roof of the three-story factory."
The latest news shows that the death toll in the explosion has risen to 78, and more than 4,000 people have been injured. The Lebanese government expects that the death toll will increase because many people are believed to be missing and rescuers are looking for the remains of the victims from the collapsed buildings.
At around 6 pm on August 4, local time, a huge explosion occurred in the port area of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. Many houses were damaged, glass was shattered, and pink mushroom clouds and thick smoke rose in the sky.
According to reports, the specific reason for the explosion is not yet known. According to the Ministry of the Interior, the exact cause of the explosion needs to be ascertained. However, Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab pointed out that 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate were stored in a warehouse near the explosion site. At present, the improper storage of large amounts of ammonium nitrate is believed to be the cause of the violent explosion.
Agence France-Presse pointed out that Abbas Ibrahim, director of the Lebanese Security Directorate, said earlier that these "highly explosive materials" were confiscated a few years ago and stored in this warehouse. The warehouse is only a few minutes’ walk from Beirut’s shopping and nightlife areas. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) also released a schematic diagram of the explosion area.
There are 1 to 2 ambulances passing every minute on the roads around the port, and the relevant areas are also blocked by the military and police, causing serious road congestion.
In addition, the Russian satellite network quoted Lebanese media sources as saying that a source in the Lebanese intelligence agency said that the Lebanese National Security Agency launched an investigation into Beirut port for a large amount of ammonium nitrate five months ago.
The Lebanese OTV TV station reported: “The national security agency requested an investigation of explosives in the warehouse No. 12 in Beirut Port 5 months ago.” According to the TV station, the investigation determined that the substance in the warehouse was extremely dangerous.