Beirut’s Explosion: Sorrowful Implications

written by 10226 Choi Siyoung

There was an explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, on August 4^th at 6:07 p.m. More than one hundred thirty-five people were killed, and five thousand people were wounded. The explosion damaged buildings as far as ten kilometers away. This incident left three hundred thousand people homeless. 

The explosion formed a huge crater that is one hundred twenty-four meters in diameter. The exact cause of the explosion has not been found yet. However, people speculate it to be caused by the ammonium nitrate in a vessel that was stranded in the port for years.

They say the blast is because of the government’s negligence. The people speculate the explosion could have been prevented if the government had listened to the repeated warnings. Investigators found out that a massive shipment of agricultural fertilizer was stored in the port. The port authorities say that the fertilizer was stored in the ship without safety precautions for years, despite local officials’ warnings.

The Russian-owned vessel, MV Rhosus, held about 2,750 metric tons of ammonium nitrate when it arrived in Beirut in 2013. The ship was destined for Mozambique. According to Lebanon’s Director of Customs, Badri Daher, the problem is that the ship never left Beirut’s port after it arrived. 

The MV Rhosus remained in Beirut because of financial difficulties. The explosion from the ship resulted in an estimated damage of about 5 billion dollars. The IMF’s chief, Kristalina Georgieva, stated that they are searching for possible solutions to help the people in Lebanon with the worsening economic conditions. Furthermore, she requested the global community as well to help Lebanon in this urgent situation. 

After the explosion happened, other countries and charities were willing to help. French President Emmanuel Macron said France would organize a conference to help and support Beirut. The U.S. is helping by sending aircrafts with food and medical supplies. Several charities are helping to rebuild and recover the city. They are also providing medical care, shelter and other services.