Lebanon blast killed at least 137, injured 5,000: ministry

An aerial view shows the massive damage done to Beirut port’s grain silos (C) and the area around it on August 5, 2020, one day after a mega-blast tore through the harbor in the heart of the Lebanese capital with the force of an earthquake, killing more than 100 people and injuring over 4,000. – Rescuers searched for survivors in Beirut in the morning after a cataclysmic explosion at the port sowed devastation across entire neighborhoods, killing more than 100 people, wounding thousands and plunging Lebanon deeper into crisis. (Photo by – / AFP)

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AFP) — The huge blast at Beirut port has killed at least 137 people, left dozens missing and at least 5,000 wounded, a Lebanese health ministry spokesperson said Thursday.

Tuesday’s explosion obliterated part of the port and caused damage over a wide radius in the heart of the city, prompting fears the final death toll could yet rise significantly.

© Agence France-Presse