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The Lebanon Explosions in Photos The Lebanon Explosions in Photos
(about 2 hours later)
The two explosions that ripped through Beirut Tuesday evening killed at least 78 people and wounded thousands more. The second, far larger blast devastated a wide area, with the shock wave knocking people down, overturning cars and enveloping much of the center city in a cloud of dust and smoke. Windows of apartment towers miles away were blown out, leaving the city’s streets looking as if they had been “cobbled in glass,” according to a resident. The two explosions that ripped through Beirut, Lebanon’s capital, on Tuesday evening killed more than 100 people and wounded thousands of others. The second, much larger blast devastated a wide area, knocking people down, overturning cars and enveloping much of the central city in dust and smoke. Windows miles away were blown out, leaving streets looking like they had been “cobbled in glass,” according to a resident.
The injured, at least 4,000, were soon streaming into local hospitals, often arriving on foot or carried by friends and family members, with streets made impassable to cars and local ambulance services overwhelmed. St. George Hospital in central Beirut, one of the city’s biggest, was so severely damaged that it had to shut down and send patients elsewhere. “Every floor of the hospital is damaged,” said Dr. Peter Noun, the hospital’s chief of pediatric hematology and oncology. “I didn’t see this even during the war. It’s a catastrophe.” The injured, who numbered more than 4,000, were soon streaming into local hospitals. Many arrived on foot or carried by others, with the streets impassable to cars and ambulance services overwhelmed. The damage to St. George Hospital, one of the city’s biggest, was so severe that it had to shut down and send patients elsewhere. “Every floor of the hospital is damaged,” said Dr. Peter Noun, its chief of pediatric hematology and oncology. “I didn’t see this even during the war. It’s a catastrophe.”
The government said “highly explosive materials” had been stored where the explosions occurred, in Beirut’s northern, industrial waterfront, with many hospitals, mosques, churches and universities nearby. As of Tuesday night it remained unclear if the blasts were the result of an accident or an intentional attack. The cause appeared to be the detonation of more than 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate, a chemical used in fertilizer and bombs. Officials said it had been stored in a port warehouse since 2014, when it was confiscated from a cargo ship. As of Tuesday night, the possibility of a deliberate attack had not been ruled out, but Prime Minister Hassan Diab hinted that neglect had led to the blast.
Lebanon’s government had already been facing large protests over an economic collapse, mismanagement and corruption. “Those responsible will pay a price for this catastrophe,” said Prime Minister Hassan Diab. “This is a promise to the martyrs and wounded people. This is a national commitment.” Lebanon’s government had already been facing large protests over an economic collapse, mismanagement and corruption. “Those responsible will pay a price for this catastrophe,” Mr. Diab said. “This is a promise to the martyrs and wounded people. This is a national commitment.”
Whatever the cause, the explosions stirred memories of Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war, and its aftermath, when bombings and other attacks were a regular occurrence. For all its economic and other woes, Beirut had been relatively peaceful in recent yearsbefore Tuesday’s blast shattered much of the city. The destruction stirred memories of Lebanon’s 1975-90 civil war and its aftermath. For all its economic and other woes, Beirut had been relatively peaceful in recent years.
Aiding a victim of the blast in the center of Beirut. A building near the port.
The scene in the aftermath of the explosions at the port. At a hospital that was damaged in the blasts.
Injured people were rushed from the scene to overwhelmed hospitals that sometimes had to turn patients away. Shattered glass in front of a building.
Surveying the damage.
A highway near the blast site.
A view of the aftermath.
Smoke rising from the blast site.
Helping a victim in central Beirut.
The scene after the explosions at the port.
Evacuating the wounded. With hospitals overwhelmed, some people were turned away.
Damaged buildings near the port.Damaged buildings near the port.
A victim arriving at a hospital.A victim arriving at a hospital.
Firefighters trying to extinguish the blazes that followed the explosions.Firefighters trying to extinguish the blazes that followed the explosions.
Evacuating an injured sailor from a ship docked near the explosions. Evacuating an injured sailor from a ship docked near the blast site.
Some victims were carried to medical facilities. The blasts reminded many in Beirut of the worst days of Lebanon’s civil war. Some victims were carried to hospitals. The blasts reminded many in Beirut of the worst days of Lebanon’s civil war.
A destroyed silo at the port. A wrecked silo at the port.