Anger and sadness as Beirut marks week since blast

The shattered city of Beirut on Tuesday marked a week since the catastrophic explosion which killed at least 171 people, injured thousands and plunged Lebanon into a deeper political crisis.

Thousands of people gathered near the devastated port, remembering those who died in the most destructive single blast to hit the country.

They observed a minute of silence at 6:08 p.m. local time (1508 GMT), the moment on August 4 when thousands of tons of ammonium nitrate exploded in the city's port where it had been stored for more than six years, apparently with the knowledge of top political and security officials.

At the same moment, church bells tolled and mosque loudspeakers recited a call to prayer.

Some among the crowd chanted anti-government slogans, others held sign against their political leaders.

"He knew", read a poster bearing President Michel Aoun's picture.

"I'm very furious, I'm enraged, I'm angry, I'm sad. I'm hopeless", said Anthony Semaan, who said he came to pay respects to the victims.

Danielle Manasseh expressed "anger" and "sadness", including for her friends "who lost people they love".

The explosion has fuelled outrage against top political leaders and security agencies, and led to the resignation of the government on Monday.