Beirut Blast: Devastation in Pictures
Desk Report
Published: 05 Aug 2020, 06:00 pm
A massive explosion rocketed Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, on Tuesday killing at least 100 people and injuring several thousand, reports AP.
At least Bangladeshis were killed in the blast, the Bangladesh Embassy in Lebanon said citing hospital sources.
Meanwhile, 21 members of the Bangladesh Navy were injured in the explosion. The Navy personnel were on duty under the Maritime Task Force (MTF) deployed as part of the UN Peacekeeping Mission. The condition of them is critical.
On Wednesday, the residents of Beirut awoke to a scene of utter devastation. Smoke was still rising from the port, where towering grain silos had been shattered.
Major downtown streets were littered with debris and damaged vehicles, and building facades were blown out. Authorities said they had not determined a cause for the blast.
Abbas Ibrahim, chief of Lebanese General Security, said it might have been caused by highly explosive material that was confiscated from a ship some time ago and stored at the port.
Local television channel LBC said the material was sodium nitrate.
A gallery of photos curated by AP photographers captures the horror, devastation and reach of the explosion.