The explosion in the port of Beirut left more than 6,000 injured. - Lamaa / Magnus News / SIPA

A week after the huge explosion that devastated much of the Lebanese capital, a new death toll shows 171 dead and more than 6,000 injured, according to the Ministry of Health. The explosion of incredible violence was caused, according to the authorities, by 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stored for six years at the port of Beirut "without precautionary measures" by the admission of Prime Minister Hassan Diab.

The drama has also left nearly 300,000 homeless and triggered a political earthquake that has already brought down the government on Monday. At 6:08 p.m. on Tuesday, church bells rang and mosques simultaneously launched the call to prayer, at the exact time when the explosion in the port of Beirut ravaged the Lebanese capital on August 4.

About twenty missing

However, hope is fading of finding survivors in the port, the Lebanese army announced on Sunday. After several days of "search and rescue operations, we can say that we have finished the first phase, the one offering the possibility of finding people alive", indicated this weekend Colonel Roger Khouri, at the head of the military engineer regiment, during a press conference.

The ministry had lowered the number of people still missing, indicating that it was now 21, while it previously mentioned several dozen. The previous death toll from the terrible explosion was 160 dead and more than 5,000 injured.

World

Lebanon: France calls for "rapid formation of a government that proves its worth"

World

Explosion in Beirut: The support conference commits to aid of 250 million euros

  • Middle East
  • Video
  • Victim
  • Explosion
  • Harbor
  • Beirut
  • World
  • Lebanon