The head of the Lebanese Red Cross told local broadcasters on Wednesday that more than 100 people had died following the blast at a warehouse in the city's port. George Kettaneh told LBCI TV by telephone that the Red Cross was coordinating with the health ministry for morgues to take victims because hospitals were overwhelmed. The Red Cross said more than 4,000 people had been wounded in the blast.
The National Council for Scientific Research said a warehouse containing ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive material used for fertilisers, was the source of the incident. Health Minister Hamad Hassan described the incident as "a disaster in every sense of the word", and warned that the death toll was likely to rise. "The capital's hospitals are all filled with wounded people," he said. Among those killed was Nizar Najarian, secretary-general of the Kataeb party, whose headquarters are near the port's entrance. -Full Report
Two massive explosions rock Beirut. "Mushroom cloud." Hundreds wounded. Death toll rising. Cause unknown. Israel denies involvement
Beirut explosions: Huge blasts rock Lebanon's capital, killing at least 78 and wounding more than 4,000
Apocalyptic scenes as blasts ravage Beirut
'Like Hiroshima or Nagasaki': Pictures, videos show devastation across Beirut
Beirut blast apparently caused by explosive materials seized from ship, stored at port
Lebanese PM: 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate caused 'disaster in every sense'
Beirut Rocked by Massive Explosion and Widespread Damage, Source Unknown
UPDATE: Al-Hadeth News Says MASSIVE Beirut Explosion Was Warehouse for Iranian Missiles to Hezbollah
