Destruction lined the streets of Beirut Wednesday, as residents continued to take stock of the damage inflicted by a massive explosion at the city’s port on Tuesday.
Multiple buildings that faced the port, including that of state-owned electricity provider Electricite du Liban, appeared to have had their windows blown out, and numerous cars that had suffered the blast lay abandoned on one of the city’s main highways.
Pavement in the popular shopping district ‘Beirut Souks’ was seen covered in shattered glass, with store interiors in disarray.
The blasts are thought to have been caused by the still unexplained ignition of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive chemical material which was reportedly stored without precautionary measures at the port, according to Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab.
Results of an investigation into the causes of the explosions are expected to be released in the next five days.
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