The number of victims in a powerful explosion at a warehouse in a port near here, Tuesday afternoon, continues to increase.
So far, more than 70 have been killed and 3,000 more injured in two series of explosions in the Lebanese capital, ArabNews news agency reported.
An explosion in the port area of the capital with a strong tremor could be felt all the way to Cyprus which is located about 200 kilometers (km) from the scene.
There are video footage showing the initial explosion with thick clouds of smoke and a blazing fire that shook and shook buildings around the capital.
At the same time, there were screams of residents rushing to save themselves inside the restaurant and from the balcony of their respective homes.
Most of them thought the incident was caused by a strong earthquake.
As a result of the blast, many buildings in the capital were destroyed with shattered residential windows and collapsed ceilings.
In a related development, Lebanese Health Minister Hamad Hasan said the blast had a 'high injury rate'.
However, the exact cause of the explosion is still unknown.
Lebanon's Chief of Internal Security, Abbas Ibrahim, in a statement, declined to raise any speculation regarding the tragedy following a detailed investigation being carried out.
The blast came just days before the United Nations (UN) international tribunal sentenced four men accused of killing former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 21 other individuals in a 2005 bombing.
The suspect was identified as a member of the Iranian militant group Hezbollah.
The explosion shocked the population who are still struggling with the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic and at the same time, the government is also causing the country a serious financial crisis.
SOURCE: BH