On August 4th, 2020, a massive explosion took place in Beirut shortly after 6pm Eastern European Time. The roof of a warehouse caught fire and quickly after there was a large initial explosion, followed by a series of smaller explosions that some witnesses say sounded like fireworks going off. Then, 30 seconds later, there was a huge blast that sent a mushroom cloud into the air and a supersonic wave radiating through the city. This massive blast wave leveled buildings near the port of Beirut and caused an immense amount of damage over most of the capital, which is home to two million people. Hospitals were filled up rather quickly and it became overwhelming for the doctors and nurses inside.
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How big was the blast?
The blast that took place in Beirut destroyed the dockside area, which in turn created a crater that was approximately 460 ft wide. This crater resulted in flooding of the seawater. The warehouse where the initial fire and explosion took place was completely obliterated. The shockwaves destroyed windows all the way to Beirut International Airport which was about 5 miles away. The blast was equivalent to a 3.3-magnitude earthquake.
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What was the cause?
The Prime Minister of Lebanon claims that the cause was 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate that he said had been stored unsafely at a warehouse in the port. Ammonium nitrate is a crystal-like white solid commonly used as a source of nitrogen for agriculture. But it can also be combined with fuel to create an explosive used in the mining and construction industries. Bombs have been made in the past with this combination. Ammonium nitrate is safe when stored properly but if it is sitting around too long it will begin to decay.
News Update: Recent reports have come out that Lebanon’s whole cabinet has quit in the midst of the Lebanon crisis. Read more HERE.
The death toll is currently around 200 with more than 6,000 wounded. If you would like to help the victims of Lebanon’s crisis you can donate to the Lebanese Red Cross as this is the only organization at this time that has been proven to fund the victims instead of the government.
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Lebanon is already suffering as they’re currency has lost 70% of its value. Poverty has soared, with the world bank projecting that more than half of the country’s population would be poor by 2020. The majority of people in the country have been subject to arbitrary cash withdrawal limits for nearly a year. As a result the US has pledged approximately $300 million in aid to Lebanon’s government. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that any of it is going to the victims or their people. That’s why it’s important that you donate today.
