
State of Emergency in Beirut: At least 100 dead, 4 thousand wounded     

2020-08-05 12:51:45


	NEWS CENTER - At least 100 people have been killed and more than 4,000 injured as a result of a huge explosion in Beirut, on Tuesday.

	The whole city was shaken by the blast, which began with a fire at the port which exploded into a high cloud.

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	President Michel Aoun said 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate had been stored unsafely in a warehouse for six years.

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	He scheduled an urgent cabinet meeting for today, and said a two-week state of emergency should be declared.

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	The country will observe an official period of mourning for three days from today.

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	Lebanon's Red Cross said: "What we are witnessing is a huge catastrophe. There are victims and casualties everywhere. Over 100 have lost their lives. Our teams are still conducting search and rescue operations in the surrounding areas."

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