Death toll in huge Beirut explosion rises to 113

BEIRUT. KAZINFORM - Death toll in Tuesday’s huge blast that ripped through Lebanon’s capital Beirut has risen to 113, the country’s health minister said on Wednesday.

photo: QAZINFORM

Nearly 4,000 victims were injured and dozens of them are still missing, Hamad Hassan said.

A fire at a warehouse containing explosives at the Port of Beirut led to a massive blast Tuesday, causing massive material damage in several neighborhoods of the capital.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun cited ammonium nitrate as the source of the explosion, which leveled a three-story building and was heard across the city and its suburbs.

The Supreme Defense Council in Lebanon has declared Beirut a disaster-stricken city and announced a state of emergency in the capital for two weeks.

Tuesday's explosion deepens woes of the country that has been suffering from a severe economic crisis and intense political polarization for months.

Source: Anadolu Agency