Huge explosion rocks Beirut

A huge explosion rocked the Lebanese capital Beirut on Tuesday, shaking buildings, shattering windows and sending a huge plume of smoke into the sky.

Lebanese media carried images of people trapped under rubble, some bloodied, after the massive explosion, the cause of which was not immediately known.

The loud blast in Beirut’s port area was felt across large parts of the city and some districts lost electricity.

What a massive explosion!!
Our hearts and prayers with #Beirut
GOD bless Lebanon ????❤️#بيروت pic.twitter.com/222LVa0DQj

— Nawaf (@ikern9) August 4, 2020

Preliminary reports by local Lebanese media said the blast may have been the result of an incident at Beirut port.

“Buildings are shaking,” tweeted one resident, while another wrote: “An enormous, deafening explosion just engulfed Beirut. Heard it from miles away”.

The streets of #Beirut right now, following the gigantic explosion. pic.twitter.com/T0PeJOzyiV

— Sarah Abdallah (@sahouraxo) August 4, 2020

Online footage from a Lebanese newspaper office showed blown out windows, scattered furniture and demolished interior panelling.