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Lebanon’s health minister said more than 25 people had been killed and over 2,500 injured in a massive explosion in Beirut port area on Tuesday that rippled through the capital.
Speaking in remarks broadcast live on TV channels, he initially said more than 30 people had been killed and over 3,000 injured. The head of the Lebanese Red Cross put the number of wounded at more than 2,200, local broadcasters earlier said.
The blast occurred in the city’s port area, where there were warehouses with highly explosive materials, Lebanon’s internal security chief Abbas Ibrahim said.
Footage of the blast shared around by residents on social media showed a column of smoke rising from the port district followed by an enormous blast. Those who filming what initially appeared to be a big blaze where thrown backwards by the shock.
The head of Lebanese Red Cross said hundreds of injured people were taken to hospitals for treatment with more still trapped in homes damaged by the explosion.
George Kettaneh told local media there was no exact figure of how many were injured as many were still trapped in homes and within the area of the blast. Others were being rescued by boat.
Abass Latifat
