135 people have lost their lives and more than 4000 people have been injured in the devastating blast in Lebanon's capital Beirut on Tuesday evening.
Relief rescuers are still trying to evacuate those trapped under the debris. Lebanon's main enclave has also been destroyed in the blast. After this devastation, Lebanon has less than a month's safe grain left.
On Wednesday, Lebanese Finance Minister Raul Nehme told the news agency Reuters that Lebanon had less than a month's safe grain left after the blast, but flour is sufficient so the crisis can be avoided.
The Finance Minister said that there should be safe grains of at least three months. Already, Lebanon is reeling from an economic crisis and does not have the money to import food grains. The Finance Minister said that at least 15 thousand tons of food grains have been wasted in the ravaged grain godowns, although their capacity is one lakh 20 thousand tons.
Lebanon imports most of the food and the bulk of the grain is stored at the port. But these stored grains are also completely ruined in the blast. Lebanon stands at the cusp of a food crisis.
Know the important things about the explosion in Beirut
What happened?
Early Tuesday evening, there was news of a blast in the coastal area of Beirut. Eyewitnesses say that there was a fire followed by small explosions, which sounded like crackers.
In the video posted on social media, it is seen that white smoke balloons are rising from a warehouse. There was a grain warehouse nearby. Just before this, there was a devastating explosion and it was so loud that flames and fumes of smoke spread throughout the city.
The second blast took place near the buildings of the Port of Keeble and it affected the entire city of Beirut. Beirut is home to 2 million people. On seeing the hospital, the patients were filled with victims. Lebanese Red Cross chief George Ketaini said, "We witnessed the devastating scene." There was a sense of injury and destruction all around. ''
How powerful was the explosion?
Experts have not been able to know the size of the blasts but it was so loud that the glass of Beirut International Airport, 9 km from where the explosion occurred, started breaking.
A blast was heard in Cyprus, 200 km from there. American seismologists say that the explosion was equivalent to a 3.3 magnitude earthquake.
What is the reason for the explosion?
Lebanese President Michael Eoin says that 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate were stored unsafely in a warehouse at the port. President Eoin has held this ammonium nitrate responsible for this explosion. Chemical was seized from a vessel in 2013 in the same quantity. Ammonium nitrate is like a crystal.
It is commonly used as fertilizer in agriculture in the form of nitrogen. But it is also used to make explosives with fuel oil. It is used in the mining and construction industry.
US President Donald Trump feels that the Beirut blast is the result of a horrific attack. But US officials have told the news agency Reuters that there is no firm argument in favor of the possibility of an attack. Initial investigation has revealed that the explosion is the result of negligence.
Experts say that if ammonium nitrate is kept properly then it is safer than the rest of the chemicals. Although a large amount of ammonium nitrate is kept for a long time, it begins to decompose and later on proves to be explosive.
After mixing with fuel oil, heat is generated and finally reaches the explosion. Ammonium nitrate has often resulted in fatal industrial accidents around the world.
Who is the charge on?
President Eoin has promised a transparent inquiry into the matter. After going to the accident site on Wednesday, he said, "We will get it investigated immediately and it will be ascertained under what circumstances these blasts took place." Whose negligence will be punished in the whole case?
Prime Minister Hasan Diab has also called this negligence unacceptable. Port General Manager Hassan Koryatam and Director General of Lebanese Custom Badri Daher said on Wednesday that care had been taken in the matter of keeping ammonium nitrate.
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