Home Trending

Beirut Explosion: Lebanese Prime Minister Declares National Day Of Mourning

by Vaishnavi Venkataraman
Beirut Explosion: Lebanese Prime Minister Declares National Day Of Mourning

Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab has declared Wednesday a day of national mourning after the horrid explosion in the Beirut port area. The explosion caused massive damage to the surrounding area and sent a huge cloud of red smoke over the city. Over 100 people are reported dead and 4,000 have been wounded. Besides, at least 10 firefighters working for Beirut’s municipality are missing after the explosion.

The reason for the blast is reported to be ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive material, which was stored in the port. Ammonium nitrate is used as a fertiliser in agriculture and as an explosive. The blast was also felt 240km away on the island of Cyprus, in the eastern Mediterranean. People there thought it was an earthquake. However, the PM clarified that they are currently looking at handling casualties. Investigation is under way to find the exact trigger which caused the explosion.

The BBC’s Lina Sinjab said she could feel the wave of the explosion from where she was, a five-minute drive from the port area . “My building was shaking, it was about to fall, all windows were forced open,” she said.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, offered his condolences to the people of Lebanon.

The Burj Khalifa also lit up yesterday extending support.