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| Beirut blast: Dozens dead and thousands injured, health minister says | Beirut blast: Dozens dead and thousands injured, health minister says |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| A large blast in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, has killed at least 50 people and injured more than 2,700 others, the health minister says. | A large blast in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, has killed at least 50 people and injured more than 2,700 others, the health minister says. |
| Videos show smoke billowing from a fire, then a mushroom cloud following the blast at the city's port. | Videos show smoke billowing from a fire, then a mushroom cloud following the blast at the city's port. |
| Officials are blaming highly explosive materials stored in a warehouse for six years. | |
| President Michel Aoun tweeted it was "unacceptable" that 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate was stored unsafely. | |
| An investigation is under way to find the exact trigger for the explosion. | |
| Hospitals are said to be overwhelmed and many buildings have been destroyed. | Hospitals are said to be overwhelmed and many buildings have been destroyed. |
| A BBC journalist at the scene reported dead bodies and severe damage, enough to put the port of Beirut out of action. | A BBC journalist at the scene reported dead bodies and severe damage, enough to put the port of Beirut out of action. |
| Prime Minister Hassan Diab called it a catastrophe and said those responsible must be held to account. | Prime Minister Hassan Diab called it a catastrophe and said those responsible must be held to account. |
| He spoke of a "dangerous warehouse" which had been there since 2014, but said he would not pre-empt the investigation. | He spoke of a "dangerous warehouse" which had been there since 2014, but said he would not pre-empt the investigation. |
| Local media showed people trapped beneath rubble. A witness described the first explosion as deafening, and video footage showed wrecked cars and blast-damaged buildings. | Local media showed people trapped beneath rubble. A witness described the first explosion as deafening, and video footage showed wrecked cars and blast-damaged buildings. |
| "All the buildings around here have collapsed. I'm walking through glass and debris everywhere, in the dark," one witness near the port told AFP news agency. | "All the buildings around here have collapsed. I'm walking through glass and debris everywhere, in the dark," one witness near the port told AFP news agency. |
| The blast was heard 240km (150 miles) away on the island of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean. | The blast was heard 240km (150 miles) away on the island of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean. |
| President Aoun tweeted after an emergency meeting of the Supreme Defence Council. Wednesday has been declared a day of mourning. | |
| The explosion comes at a sensitive time for Lebanon, with an economic crisis reigniting old divisions. Tensions are also high ahead of Friday's verdict in a trial over the killing of ex-Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005. | |
| 'Glass going down from all over the building' | 'Glass going down from all over the building' |
| Hadi Nasrallah, eyewitness speaking to the BBC | Hadi Nasrallah, eyewitness speaking to the BBC |
| I saw the fire, but I didn't yet know there was going to be an explosion. We went inside. Suddenly I lost my hearing because apparently I was too close. I lost my hearing for a few seconds, I knew something was wrong. | I saw the fire, but I didn't yet know there was going to be an explosion. We went inside. Suddenly I lost my hearing because apparently I was too close. I lost my hearing for a few seconds, I knew something was wrong. |
| And then suddenly the glass just shattered all over the car, the cars around us, the shops, the stores, the buildings. Just glass going down from all over the building. | And then suddenly the glass just shattered all over the car, the cars around us, the shops, the stores, the buildings. Just glass going down from all over the building. |
| Literally all over Beirut, people were calling each other from different areas kilometres away and they were experiencing the same thing: broken glass, buildings shaking, a loud explosion. | Literally all over Beirut, people were calling each other from different areas kilometres away and they were experiencing the same thing: broken glass, buildings shaking, a loud explosion. |
| Actually we were shocked because usually when it happens, just one area will experience those happenings after an explosion, but this time it was all of Beirut, even areas outside of Beirut. | Actually we were shocked because usually when it happens, just one area will experience those happenings after an explosion, but this time it was all of Beirut, even areas outside of Beirut. |
| Sunniva Rose, journalist | Sunniva Rose, journalist |
| "Driving into Beirut early evening when it was still light, it was absolute chaos. The streets were literally covered in glass. It's hard for ambulances to go through - there's bricks, cement slabs. Houses have collapsed. | "Driving into Beirut early evening when it was still light, it was absolute chaos. The streets were literally covered in glass. It's hard for ambulances to go through - there's bricks, cement slabs. Houses have collapsed. |
| "When I got to the port it had been closed off by the army. The army said to stay away in case there was a second explosion. | "When I got to the port it had been closed off by the army. The army said to stay away in case there was a second explosion. |
| "There was still smoke going up into the sky late into the evening. The whole city was black. It was very hard to walk around, people were covered in blood. I saw an 86-year-old woman being treated by a doctor who had just run out of his home with a first aid kit. Cars were entirely smashed by rocks. These old-style houses with big cuts of rock had just fallen down on the street. | "There was still smoke going up into the sky late into the evening. The whole city was black. It was very hard to walk around, people were covered in blood. I saw an 86-year-old woman being treated by a doctor who had just run out of his home with a first aid kit. Cars were entirely smashed by rocks. These old-style houses with big cuts of rock had just fallen down on the street. |
| "It's pandemonium in my own flat, all the glass is shattered. The extent of the damage is extreme. Even in a mall 2km away - the whole facade was shattered." | "It's pandemonium in my own flat, all the glass is shattered. The extent of the damage is extreme. Even in a mall 2km away - the whole facade was shattered." |
| Shock and anxiety | Shock and anxiety |
| By Sebastian Usher, BBC Arab affairs analyst | By Sebastian Usher, BBC Arab affairs analyst |
| The videos and images, not just of the massive cloud of smoke erupting in Beirut but the damage and devastation it has caused kilometres away, have triggered a new wave of shock and anxiety in Lebanon, which is already teetering on the brink of a catastrophic economic collapse. | The videos and images, not just of the massive cloud of smoke erupting in Beirut but the damage and devastation it has caused kilometres away, have triggered a new wave of shock and anxiety in Lebanon, which is already teetering on the brink of a catastrophic economic collapse. |
| Just hours before the blast, anti-government protesters had been scuffling with the security forces outside the ministry of energy, demanding yet again accountability from the country's leaders. | Just hours before the blast, anti-government protesters had been scuffling with the security forces outside the ministry of energy, demanding yet again accountability from the country's leaders. |
| There have been grave warnings of hunger in the streets or a reigniting of sectarian conflict if the economy worsens. | There have been grave warnings of hunger in the streets or a reigniting of sectarian conflict if the economy worsens. |
| And the blast will remind many of the bomb that killed Rafik Hariri. The Lebanese will be hoping that this latest blast will remain a human tragedy - an accident - and not a premeditated act. | And the blast will remind many of the bomb that killed Rafik Hariri. The Lebanese will be hoping that this latest blast will remain a human tragedy - an accident - and not a premeditated act. |
| How have other countries reacted? | How have other countries reacted? |
| Lebanon's prime minister also called for international help: "I make an urgent appeal to friendly and brotherly countries... to stand by Lebanon and to help us heal our deep wounds," Hassan Diab said. | Lebanon's prime minister also called for international help: "I make an urgent appeal to friendly and brotherly countries... to stand by Lebanon and to help us heal our deep wounds," Hassan Diab said. |
| UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted: "The pictures and videos from Beirut tonight are shocking. All of my thoughts and prayers are with those caught up in this terrible incident. | UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted: "The pictures and videos from Beirut tonight are shocking. All of my thoughts and prayers are with those caught up in this terrible incident. |
| "The UK is ready to provide support in any way we can, including to those British nationals affected." | "The UK is ready to provide support in any way we can, including to those British nationals affected." |
| US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also offered assistance, tweeting: "We are monitoring and stand ready to assist the people of Lebanon as they recover from this horrible tragedy." | |
| France said it was sending aid and resources to Lebanon. | France said it was sending aid and resources to Lebanon. |
| Iran would "render assistance in any way necessary" Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted, while Saudi Arabia expressed its full solidarity with Lebanon. | Iran would "render assistance in any way necessary" Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted, while Saudi Arabia expressed its full solidarity with Lebanon. |
| Israel said in a statement that it had "approached Lebanon through international security and diplomatic channels and has offered the Lebanese government medical and humanitarian assistance". | Israel said in a statement that it had "approached Lebanon through international security and diplomatic channels and has offered the Lebanese government medical and humanitarian assistance". |
| The German foreign ministry said the blast had been felt at its embassy in the city. | |
| "We cannot for the moment exclude German nationals figuring among the dead and wounded," it said in a statement. | |
| What's the situation in Lebanon? | What's the situation in Lebanon? |
| Lebanon is experiencing political turmoil, with street demonstrations against the government's handling of the worst economic crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war. | Lebanon is experiencing political turmoil, with street demonstrations against the government's handling of the worst economic crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war. |
| Many blame the ruling elite who have dominated politics for years and amassed their own wealth while failing to carry out the sweeping reforms necessary to solve the country's problems. People have to deal with daily power cuts, a lack of safe drinking water and limited public healthcare. | Many blame the ruling elite who have dominated politics for years and amassed their own wealth while failing to carry out the sweeping reforms necessary to solve the country's problems. People have to deal with daily power cuts, a lack of safe drinking water and limited public healthcare. |
| There has also been tension on the border with Israel, which said last week that it had thwarted an attempt by Hezbollah to infiltrate Israeli territory. But a senior Israeli official has told the BBC that "Israel has no connection" to the Beirut blast. | There has also been tension on the border with Israel, which said last week that it had thwarted an attempt by Hezbollah to infiltrate Israeli territory. But a senior Israeli official has told the BBC that "Israel has no connection" to the Beirut blast. |
| The blast happened close to the scene of the huge car bombing which killed ex-PM Hariri. Tuesday's blast also came days before the long-awaited verdict in the trial at a special court in the Netherlands of four men accused of orchestrating the attack. | The blast happened close to the scene of the huge car bombing which killed ex-PM Hariri. Tuesday's blast also came days before the long-awaited verdict in the trial at a special court in the Netherlands of four men accused of orchestrating the attack. |
| Are you in Beirut? Have you been affected by the blast? If it is safe for you to do so, please email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Are you in Beirut? Have you been affected by the blast? If it is safe for you to do so, please email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |