Huge Explosion In Beirut

[71 Trans Am]

There has been a huge explosion in Beirut - A reporter earlier said it would have been felt in Cyprus - Was It ? - This is live now on YOU TUBE


A large blast has hit the Lebanese capital, Beirut, causing widespread damage and injuring many people, officials say.

It is not yet clear what caused the explosion in the port area of the city. Video posted online showed a large mushroom cloud and destroyed buildings.

Hospitals are said to be overwhelmed by casualties.

It comes at a sensitive time with the country's economic collapse reigniting old tensions.

Tensions are also high ahead of the verdict in a trial over the killing of ex-PM Rafik Hariri in 2005. A UN tribunal is due to issue its verdict in the trial of four suspects in the murder by car bomb of Hariri on Friday.

[Lofos-Jan]

Only 180km from Ayia Napa - it’s nearer than I realised!

Jeanne

[PhotoLady]

The blast was felt by people in Cyprus some 200+ kilometers away from Beirut.
I've been following this for the last couple of hours and there are several different stories coming through.... one of which is it was confiscated explosives (we all know how that turned out for Cyprus several years ago) and another saying it was near silo's around the port area.

Another person has stated "we have no port left" and so far reports are that at least 15 people have been killed by the blast and shrapnel.
There are some simply awesome videos of the explosions filmed on facebook and twitter as the source seemed to originate from a fireworks factory so people were already videoing it when the second "white blast" occurred which really did look like a nuclear explosion.

It's pretty horrendous from what we're seeing and the hospitals are already at full capacity due to Coronavirus, without this as well. We have customers and friends in Beirut and our hearts are going out to them at the moment....

You really need to see the video to the end to comprehend the enormity of the second explosion!

[WHL]

It shook our house in Larnaca, at first I thought it was from the firing ranges a few miles away, that was some explosion

[JimX]

Seems it was hundreds of tones stored Nitrates that went up...awful for those who live there.

[Dominic]

This is worth reading if you are worried about the reported mushroom cloud, and the inevitable conspiracy theorist nutjobs who claim it was an atomic bomb:

The Beirut explosion created a huge mushroom cloud and visible blast wave, but nuclear weapons experts say it wasn't an atomic bomb. Here's why.

https://www.businessinsider.com/beirut- ... ash-2020-8

[WHL]

There has been some goings on between Israeli forces and Iran's Hezbollah, on the borders of Lebanon the last week or so, my guess is Israel took the opportunity to take out the storage facility

[cyprusmax47]

This terrible explosion is a reminder to store also agricultural chemicals safe and controlled as heat and humidity can make them dangerous. At Beirut the reason was that 2700 tons!! of ammonium nitrate exploded from a large shipload seized 6 years ago. With high temperature it can detonate.
It reminds me a bit of the EAC disaster when magnesium primer was stored at the naval base nearby, also seized and confiscated from the Gov. years ago from a ship heading towards Syria. In this case high humidity was perhaps the reason for the chain reaction to start also ammunition that was also stored to explode.
Looking back many years when I was a farmer, there were never special precautions at the large Coop ware house in Polis where hundreds of sacks of Nitriki Ammonia, Urea, and other fertilizer mix was stored.... I wonder if it is still the same.

Max

[Dominic]

Certainly hope not.

From the film, it looks like a firework storage facility went up first, which triggered the bigger explosion. It was frightening to see on the film.

[WHL]

Israel have been sabotaging Iranian facility's in the past few weeks, this could be a part of that?

https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/i ... facilities

[Paulo]

Israel have been sabotaging Iranian facility's in the past few weeks, this could be a part of that?

https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/i ... facilities

Why have you brought Israel into this, there has been no suggestion of their involvement in what appears to be a tragic accident?
You appear to be attempting to skew the narrative to fit your own anti-Semitic views, shameful.

[WHL]

Israel have been sabotaging Iranian facility's in the past few weeks, this could be a part of that?

https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/i ... facilities

Why have you brought Israel into this, there has been no suggestion of their involvement in what appears to be a tragic accident?
You appear to be attempting to skew the narrative to fit your own anti-Semitic views, shameful.

Why on earth do you think im anti Semtic, thats a stupid statement to come out with, and if anything im pro Israel in many things, Ive brought Israel into this, because unless you have lived in a cave for the last 70 odd years, you will know that events that happen in the middle East, usually involve Israel in one way or the other, what is shameful is not me posting the POSSIBILITY that Israel might be involved, rather you shamefully calling me anti semtic

[memory man]

It seems to have been an accident.

A meeting of the Lebanese Supreme Defence Council said that a massive blast in the port of Beirut on Tuesday evening might have been the result of maintenance work at the site, as a door to the port hangar, where explosive materials were being stored, did not close properly, LBCI reported.

READ MORE

[Dominic]

Israel have been sabotaging Iranian facility's in the past few weeks, this could be a part of that?

https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/i ... facilities

Why have you brought Israel into this, there has been no suggestion of their involvement in what appears to be a tragic accident?
You appear to be attempting to skew the narrative to fit your own anti-Semitic views, shameful.

Why on earth do you think im anti Semtic, thats a stupid statement to come out with, and if anything im pro Israel in many things, Ive brought Israel into this, because unless you have lived in a cave for the last 70 odd years, you will know that events that happen in the middle East, usually involve Israel in one way or the other, what is shameful is not me posting the POSSIBILITY that Israel might be involved, rather you shamefully calling me anti semtic

If you post idle speculation based on no evidence you should expect a vociferous comeback. Often you will be the one making the challenge, so you cannot act surprised when it happens to you.

[boycott]

Can you believe anyone in regard to this incident?

Lebanon are saying it is an accident, USA saying it is a bombing, Israel saying it is nothing to do with us!

Who do you believe seems to depend on ones politics and where your own sympathies lay, and will the truth ever come out?

[Dominic]

No, Trump was saying it was a bomb. Nobody else.

If you take the word of Trump you really have fallen down the rabbit hole. Personally, I would believe first the authorities in Lebanon.

[WHL]

Why have you brought Israel into this, there has been no suggestion of their involvement in what appears to be a tragic accident?
You appear to be attempting to skew the narrative to fit your own anti-Semitic views, shameful.

Why on earth do you think im anti Semtic, thats a stupid statement to come out with, and if anything im pro Israel in many things, Ive brought Israel into this, because unless you have lived in a cave for the last 70 odd years, you will know that events that happen in the middle East, usually involve Israel in one way or the other, what is shameful is not me posting the POSSIBILITY that Israel might be involved, rather you shamefully calling me anti semtic

If you post idle speculation based on no evidence you should expect a vociferous comeback. Often you will be the one making the challenge, so you cannot act surprised when it happens to you.

Your right in what you say Dominic, it is speculation, but going on the History of the Middle East, to speculate that Israel might of had a hand in this, is not beyond the realms of possibility , what I took exception to was being called anti semitic, which is ridiculous.

[Dominic]

It isn't ridiculous to anybody not familiar with your posting history.

[boycott]

No, Trump was saying it was a bomb. Nobody else.

If you take the word of Trump you really have fallen down the rabbit hole. Personally, I would believe first the authorities in Lebanon.

Last time I looked Trump was the President of the USA and hence speaks for the USA!

Personally I do not believe anything a politician/government says in things like this.

[WHL]

It isn't ridiculous to anybody not familiar with your posting history.

Dominic, anyone that knows anything about the going ons in the Middle East, should know its a messy business, to say Israel might of had a hand in this event, shouldn't class you as an anti Semite, the poster should of told us why they didn't believe this to be so, to call someone names is a kop out in my book.