Death toll tops 100 in Beirut blast

Prime Minister Hassan Diab declared Wednesday a day of mourning in Lebanon after a powerful blast devastated the port in the capital city of Beirut. The Lebanese Red Cross said in a morning statement that more than 100 people were dead and at least 4,000 injured.

Officials said they expected the number of victims to rise as crews worked their way through rubble of damaged buildings and people searched for missing family and friends.

The exact cause of Tuesday’s blast was not clear, but Lebanese officials put the focus on what they said was tons of ammonium nitrate that had been stored at port warehouses for the past six years.

The explosion took place in the evening, sending a huge mushroom cloud into the sky and shockwaves that blew out doors and windows far from the port, overturned cars and damaged numerous buildings.

In the aftermath, hospitals were overrun with people seeking care.

The U.S. Embassy in Beirut urged people to stay inside due to reports of toxic gases being released in the blast.

Leaders called for a quick investigation, with Diab pledging “those responsible will pay the price.”

Lebanese President Michel Aoun, who called an emergency cabinet meeting Wednesday, said those accountable would face “the most severe penalties.”

“It is unacceptable that a shipment of ammonium nitrate estimated at 2750 tons has been present for 6 years in a warehouse without taking preventive measures that endanger the safety of citizens,” Aoun tweeted.

In addition to wrecking the main entry port for a country heavily reliant on food imports, the blast also destroyed a massive grain silo at the site.

Economy Minister Raoul Nehme told Reuters on Wednesday that the country had enough grain reserves to last “a bit less than a month,” and that it needed reserves of at least three months to ensure food security.

The international community has responded with both condolences for the dead and offers to help the people of Beirut with recovery efforts.

Source: VOA