“It was a supersonic wind that wiped out everything.” – Beirut resident explains
Dr. Chabki says it was the third biggest explosion after World Wide 3 and 300 000 people are now homeless.
The mega-blast that tore through Lebanon's capital with the force of an earthquake, killing more than 100 people and injuring over 4,000, resulted from the ignition of a huge depot of ammonium nitrate at Beirut's port, officials say, but many questions remain.
An initial large explosion in the port area of Beirut took place around 6:00 pm (1500 GMT), resulting in a fire, several small blasts, and then a colossal explosion that flattened the harbour front and surrounding buildings.
Breakfast with Martin Bester spoke to Dr. Imad Abou Chabki, a dentist in Beirut.
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Dr. Chabki was about 5km from the blast but he could feel the effects from kilometers away. The dentist explains, “Earthquake for 3 to 4 seconds. Everything was shaking and then we heard the blast. I spent my day yesterday in the danger zone trying to help people. Three to five thousand buildings were affected. The third biggest explosion after World Wide 3. There are 300 000 people homeless in a split-second.”
Dr. Chabki says it was the third biggest explosion after World Wide 3 and 300 000 people are now homeless.
Search and rescue teams were still sifting through areas surrounding the port with rubble from flattened buildings spread across a wide area.
People are feeling angry and they cannot take it anymore, the doctor explained to Martin Bester. However, Lebanese people came out in their numbers with brooms and food to help clean the city.