(International Observation) Sickness is hard to heal and new injuries are added to Beirut after the disaster is struggling to restart
China News Service, Beijing, August 6th, report title: Suffering from illnesses, hard to heal, adding new injuries, Beirut is struggling to restart after the disaster
China News Agency reporter Liu Xu
A violent explosion occurred in the port area of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, on the evening of the 4th. So far, at least 137 people have been killed and approximately 5,000 injured. The Lebanese government held an emergency meeting on the 5th local time to declare Beirut as a disaster-stricken city and implement a two-week state of emergency in Beirut, supervised by the military.
According to news on August 6, a violent explosion occurred in the port area of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, on the 4th local time, causing heavy casualties. The picture shows the comparison before and after the explosion in the Beirut port area, with a gap in the land of the port.
The violent explosion is "on the verge" and the consequences are tragic and "difficult to deal with"
According to a preliminary investigation by the Lebanese government, the cause of the explosion pointed to a batch of chemical materials in Beirut port. Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab stated that 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate had been placed in a container in a port warehouse for 6 years without safety measures. Regarding the specific cause of the explosion, some media reported that it may be related to the splashing of sparks during electric welding operations near the container.
Zhao Haibo, an expert on general map planning of CNPC Northeast Refining and Chemical Engineering Co., Ltd., said in an interview with a reporter from China News Agency that ammonium nitrate is a common fertilizer and chemical raw material, and it is an extremely insensitive explosive. Neither collision nor friction is sensitive. However, ammonium nitrate can form a very explosive mixture with any combustible solid. At the same time, ammonium nitrate will decompose intensified after being heated, releasing reddish-brown nitrous oxide gas and oxygen. This decomposition is very easy to cause an explosion, and it is "on the trigger, difficult to clean up." ".
Zhao Haibo said that due to this characteristic of ammonium nitrate, safety regulations must be strictly followed during the production, storage, transportation and use of ammonium nitrate. If it is stored in a dedicated warehouse, it is strictly forbidden to bring other items that can easily cause combustion or explosion. Enter the warehouse area, etc.
According to a report by TV Arabiya on the 5th, Beirut Governor Marwan Aboud said that the economic losses caused by the Beirut port explosion could be as high as 10 to 15 billion U.S. dollars, and about 5,000 people were killed or injured.
Why did the explosion have such a dramatic impact? According to Zhao Haibo, after calculating with reference to the explosive heat parameters of ammonium nitrate explosives and TNT explosives, it was found that the power of more than 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate is theoretically equivalent to 2,400 tons of TNT explosives. In addition, the situation at the explosion site is complicated, and the shock wave triggers a chain reaction and increases Secondary injury. "It is estimated that people within 900 meters from the explosion source are life-threatening, those within 1300 meters from the explosion source are seriously injured or slightly injured, and buildings within 900 meters from the explosion source will be damaged to varying degrees."
Zhao Haibo also reminded that after a violent explosion, a large amount of toxic gases and dust containing nitrogen oxides will be produced, and people's respiratory tracts are easily damaged, and symptoms such as chest tightness, breathing tightness, and coughing may even cause pneumothorax and emphysema.
On August 5, local time, Beirut, Lebanon, the state-owned power work headquarters building near the explosion port was bombed into an "empty shelf."
Economic and social ills are healed and reconstruction is struggling after the disaster
In addition to the direct consequences of the explosion, the impact of this catastrophic event in the capital on Lebanon's economy and society has also attracted attention from outsiders.
Ding Long, a professor at the National Opening-up Research Institute of the University of International Business and Economics, told China News Agency that Lebanon was once the economic and financial center of the Middle East, with banking, shipping, tourism, education, and press and publishing industries among the best in the Middle East. However, after 15 years of civil war, its dominant position has basically been lost, coupled with the severe deterioration of the economic situation in recent years, the heavy debt burden, and the domestic people's livelihood can be described as difficult.
"This explosion made Lebanon's economy worse." Ding Long said, "Lebanon has almost lost its ability to save itself. Without the assistance of the international community this time, it would be difficult for Lebanon to weather the storm."
Ding Long's specific analysis pointed out that, first of all, Lebanon has many ethnic groups and sects, and the national governance and government capacity are seriously insufficient. The port bombing incident may intensify this political tension and cause further turbulence in the social situation;
Secondly, as one of Lebanon's most important economic sources, the Beirut port was destroyed and closed, and the transportation of necessary daily necessities was also forced to be interrupted, making the prospects for Lebanon's economic recovery even more bleak;
In addition, the warehouse near the explosion port stored Lebanon’s main vaccines and medicines. The hundreds of thousands of medicines in it were supposed to be supplied to medical centers in Lebanon. The explosion caused a huge blow to the hospital system that was already facing the severe challenge of the new crown epidemic. All of the above will be problems that Lebanon will face in the post-disaster reconstruction period.
On August 5, local time, on the outskirts of Doha, Qatar, Qatar began to deliver field hospitals and medical aid materials from Ude Air Force Base to Lebanon.
The international community urgently supports many countries to overcome difficulties together
According to media reports, after the explosion in the port area, the Lebanese Presidential Palace stated that it had decided to allocate 100 billion Lebanese pounds (about 461 million yuan) of emergency funds to deal with the subsequent impact of the explosion. The government also urges relevant departments to take measures to help the victims, including opening schools, hotels and other places to the homeless, and ensuring the supply of civilian resources.
At the same time, two French military planes carrying 55 people, approximately 15 tons of equipment and a mobile medical center arrived at Beirut Airport on the 5th; a Qatar plane carrying medical supplies also flew to Beirut on the same day; Iran and Cyprus dispatched to Lebanon Russia will deploy a mobile hospital with doctors in Beirut to rescue people injured in the explosion; Iraq and Kuwait plan to provide Beirut with medical assistance including field hospitals and supplies; China will go to Beirut for the 18th batch The Lebanese peacekeeping medical team has also deployed 9 medical personnel to form the "Beirut Explosion" emergency medical team, which will bring medicines, consumables, protective supplies and other materials to Beirut.
In addition, many countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel, and Greece, have expressed that they will provide assistance to help Lebanon tide over the difficulties as soon as possible. (Finish)