10 dead as huge explosion rips through Beirut, several injured; watch

Beirut : At least 10 people were killed and several others were injured in twin blasts which ripped through Beirut on Tuesday (August 4, 2020).

Lebanon`s state news agency NNA and two security sources said the blast had occurred in the port area where there are warehouses housing explosives. In the initial phase, it is not clear what caused the explosion and what type of explosives were present in the warehouses.

"I saw a fireball and smoke billowing over Beirut. People were screaming and running, bleeding. Balconies were blown off buildings. Glass in high-rise buildings shattered and fell to the street," said a Reuters witness.

Several people shared videos and images of the blast and aftereffects on the social media:

A local news agency quoted the health minister as saying that there are large numbers of injured in the incident. Al Mayadeen television said hundreds were wounded.

Lebanon`s internal security chief Abbas Ibrahim said that a massive blast in Beirut`s port area occurred in a section housing highly-explosive materials, and not explosive as had been reported earlier by the official state news agency NNA.

Speaking to reporters in televised remarks, he declined to speculate about the cause of the explosion in Lebanon`s capital, saying "we cannot preempt investigations".