A huge explosion shook the Lebanese capital, Beirut, on Tuesday, which resulted in dozens of deaths and thousands of injuries, amid a state of great security alert and orders to investigate to uncover the circumstances of the accident.
Information indicates that the explosion was due to highly explosive materials confiscated years ago, and was stored at crossing No. 12 in the port of Beirut, and caused severe damage in the vicinity of the site, and at a further distance it was reported of varying intensity damage, while windows were shattered in a range of about 23 km From his site.
Lebanese Health Minister Mohamed Hassan said that the explosion left 78 dead and nearly 4,000 wounded, revealing that there are still many missing persons, and that searches during the night are difficult due to the interruption of electricity.
He added that the country is facing a real disaster, and that the government needs time to assess the extent of the damage.
Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab also said that the explosion that took place at the Beirut port will not pass without reckoning, and that those responsible for it will pay the price of their actions.
Diab added, in a brief address to the Lebanese, that facts will be revealed after the investigations are completed, which he described as dangerous, calling on the Lebanese to unite in order to win the victims and heal the wounds of the nation.
He said, "It is unacceptable that there be a shipment of ammonium nitrate estimated at 2750 tons, which has been present for 6 years in a warehouse without taking preventive measures," adding, "We will not rest until we find the person responsible for what happened and hold him accountable."
case of emergency
In turn, Lebanese President Michel Aoun called for an extraordinary session of the Council of Ministers today, Wednesday, and stressed the need to declare a state of emergency in Beirut for a period of two weeks.
The Supreme Council of Defense in Lebanon decided to submit a set of recommendations to the Council of Ministers, including declaring Beirut a disaster city, declaring a state of emergency there for a period of two weeks, and handing over security duties to the military authorities.
The Supreme Defense Council also recommended that an investigation be opened into the circumstances of the huge explosion, and that its results should appear within a few days.
For his part, the Secretary-General of the Lebanese Red Cross, Georges Kettani, said that several hospitals in the capital, Beirut, were unable to receive the injured, due to exceeding their capacity.
Kettani indicated - in an interview with Al Jazeera - that the Red Cross is evacuating a number of cases from hospitals, to relieve the tremendous pressure on them.
The explosion also caused damage to a ship of the United Nations forces operating in the country, and wounded a number of the members of these forces, according to the statement of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
"As a result of the massive explosion that rocked Beirut this evening, a ship damaged by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) naval force that was docked at the port, which resulted in the injury of a number of peacekeepers, and some of them were seriously injured," the statement said.
Farhan Haq, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, on the island, also announced the injury of 48 UN staff, 27 members of their families, and 3 of their visitors. As a result of the explosion.