Massive explosion at the Lebanese capital, Beirut

A massive explosion took place in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, on August 04, damaging buildings across the capital and sending a giant mushroom cloud into the sky. In this incident, more than 70 people died and 3000 people got injured in this blast.

Details

The blast hit the capital city of the country with the force of a 3.5 magnitude earthquake, as measured by Germany’s geosciences centre GFZ. The impact of the blast was felt far away in Cyprus, which is more than 200 km across the Mediterranean.

Impact

This sudden incident overwhelmed the whole country that was already grappling with the COVID 19 pandemic and an economic crisis. Even bodies were found buried in the rubble. The ambulances carried bodies throughout the country and the hospitals were filled beyond the normal capacity, pleading for blood supplies and generators to keep the lights on. Windows and doors in the affected area were blown out miles away. Army has been deployed in the country to tackle the situation.

Reason for the Blast

The reason for the blast could not be known but it is being assumed that a fire had detonated a warehouse at the port. Also, the ongoing tension between Israel and Hezbollah might have caused the blast. But nothing confirmed has been known yet.

Month: Current Affairs - August, 2020