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Wednesday 5 August 2020 08:40
Residents of Beirut have awoken to devastation after huge explosions at the city’s port sent shock waves across the Lebanese capital on Tuesday, killing at least 100 people and injuring thousands.
President Michel Aoun called for an emergency cabinet meeting on Wednesday and said the cause of the blasts was 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, used in fertilisers and bombs, which had been stored for six years at the port without safety measures. Three days of mourning have been declared.
Rescue workers are still searching for survivors and there are fears the death toll will rise throughout the day.
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Lebanon’s prime minister has appealed to all countries to extend help to his nation in a televised speech, saying: “We are witnessing a real catastrophe.”
Hassan Diab reiterated his pledge that those responsible for the massive explosion at Beirut’s port on Tuesday will pay the price, without commenting on the cause.
At least 100 people have been killed and more than 4,000 injured by the blast, with major damage to the city amid an already dire economic crisis.
The UK government is “working urgently” today on what can be done to help Lebanon following the explosion yesterday in Beirut, a minister has said.
“It is a terrible tragedy and the thoughts of us all are with the people of Lebanon this morning,” Nick Gibb, the schools minister, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
“The government is working urgently this morning on what we can do to help the Lebanese government with technical support and working with our allies to provide financial assistance.”
He added that there would be further announcements today about what support would be provided to the country.
Earlier this morning, Mr Gibb was asked about the possible cause of the blast following comments by Donald Trump suggesting it might have been an attack.
The minister replied: “The Lebanese authorities are of course investigating the cause of that tragedy and before we have the results of that inquiry it is premature to speculate.”
All the broadcaster’s staff are reportedly safe after the explosion.
Lebanon’s president has suggested a stockpile of more than 2,700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate was the cause of the huge explosion on Tuesday.
President Michel Aoun said the storage of the dangerous chemical, which had apparently been kept for six years at the port without safety measures, was “unacceptable”.
Mr Aoun called for an emergency cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Mohammed Fahmi, the interior minister, also told a local TV station that it appeared the blast was caused by the detonation of ammonium nitrate.
The death toll from a huge explosion that rocked Beirut on Tuesday has reached 100, the Lebanese Red Cross has said, with fears the number of fatalities will continue to rise today.
The organisation said it was coordinating with the health ministry for morgues to take victims because hospitals were overwhelmed, according to Lebanese media.
Our reporter, Harry Cockburn, has the full story below:
Hello and welcome to The Independent‘s live coverage of the rescue efforts in Lebanon’s capital of Beirut today.
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