News Desk
The Red Cross Secretary General of Lebanon, Georges Kettaneh has said that the death toll from the powerful explosions in Lebanon’s capital Beirut has grown to 100.
The head of the Lebanese Red Cross has warned that the number of casualties could rise further as more victims could remain under the rubble.
Georges Kettaneh said that the number of wounded has surpassed 4,000. He said, “We are still sweeping the area. There could still be victims. I hope not.”
According to media reports, a series of extremely powerful blasts rocked Beirut on Tuesday. The shockwaves created a scene of warzone-like devastation across several blocks around the port area.
Aerial photos from the scene show how the area at the epicenter of the blasts was practically flattened. High-rise buildings nearby were reduced to mere shells.
The Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab said that around 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse had detonated.
The Mayor of Beirut, Jamal Itani told media that he estimated that the blasts had caused billions of dollars worth of damage.
According to local media, the disaster came as a near-fatal blow to the health sector, already overwhelmed by the Covid19 outbreak and the worsening economic crisis.
