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

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

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

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

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

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Chief of customs department arrested

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

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

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

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

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

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