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Blast rocks Beirut eastern suburb Blast rocks Beirut eastern suburb
(10 minutes later)
An explosion has rocked a mainly Christian suburb of Beirut, but the cause of the blast is not yet known. At least three people have been killed in a powerful explosion at a junction in a mainly Christian suburb of Beirut, reports from the Lebanese capital say.
Lebanese TV showed footage of burning cars and a huge plume of black smoke rising from what was said to be a street in Hazmieh, in east Beirut.Lebanese TV showed footage of burning cars and a huge plume of black smoke rising from what was said to be a street in Hazmieh, in east Beirut.
The explosion was heard across the centre of the Lebanese capital.The explosion was heard across the centre of the Lebanese capital.
Beirut has been the scene of a string of bomb attacks in the past three years, many of which killed members of the country's anti-Syrian movement. Beirut has been the scene of a string of bomb attacks since 2004, targeting members of the anti-Syrian movement.
TV pictures showed at least one dead body trapped in a tangled vehicle.TV pictures showed at least one dead body trapped in a tangled vehicle.
Emergency workers tried to put out fierce fires on a large number of vehicles.Emergency workers tried to put out fierce fires on a large number of vehicles.
The blast comes at a time of political crisis in Lebanon with rival pro-Syrian and pro-Western parties deadlocked over efforts to elect a president.