Beirut explosion: Over 60 people still missing, Lebanese hold protests demanding answers

More than 60 people have still been missing almost four days after the explosion at the port of Beirut that claimed at least 100 lives, wounded 4000, and left thousands homeless, a health ministry official confirmed, according to a news agency report. Workers continue a frantic search and rescue operation at the site as the nation declared the two weeks of emergency. The total fatalities count in the blast have surged to 154, of which, 25 remain identified, the official added. At least 120 of the 5,000 people injured are in critical condition, he said. 

According to reports, the wife of the Dutch ambassador to Lebanon succumbed to the injuries in the blast. Hedwig Waltmans-Molier, 55, and her husband ambassador Jan Waltmans witnessed the blast that impacted their resident in Beirut, the ministry confirmed. As many as three MPs announced their resignation from the parliament angry with the Lebanon government’s handling of the massive explosion, that wrecked over 250,000 homes.

Among the casualties reported, were the 43 Syrian nationals. The Syrian embassy in Lebanon offered condolences to the demise of its citizens on Twitter. Anger erupted amongst the citizens as they took to streets, demonstrating against the government, accusing it of “knowing the risks” that lurked with the Ammonium Nitrate’s stockpile in the warehouse at the port. People reportedly demanded “answers”.  

[People walk by damaged buildings at a neighborhood near the scene of Tuesday's explosion that hit the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. Credit: AP]

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Chief of customs department arrested

Meanwhile, chief of the customs department was detained in relation to the tragic accident. He is being questioned by an investigative Judge Ghassan Khoury regarding the deadly explosion for over 5 hours on August 7. The judge then ordered that he, along with sixteen other port officials and staffers must remain under custody. Earlier today, NASA's Advanced Rapid Imaging and Analysis (ARIA) team, in collaboration with the Earth Observatory, Singapore in NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory at Caltech released the satellite imagery of the scale of destruction caused by the massive explosion. In the images released, one could see the infrastructure in ruins, some billions of dollars' worth of damage around the port of Beirut. 

[People remove debris from a house damaged by Tuesday's explosion in the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon. Credit: AP]

[Relatives of Lebanese army lieutenant Ayman Noureddine, who was killed by Tuesday's explosion that hit the seaport of Beirut. Credit: AP]

[A dog of the French rescue team searches for survivors at the scene of this week's massive explosion in the port of Beirut. Credit: AP]

[Riot police advance to push back anti-government protesters in Beirut, Lebanon, on August 7, 2020 Hassan Ammar/ AP]

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