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Published 16:06 IST, August 5th 2020

Destruction on Beirut streets after massive blast

Major Beirut downtown streets were littered with debris and damaged vehicles, and building facades were blown out after a massive explosion that rocked the Lebanese capital on Tuesday.

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Destruction on Beirut streets after massive blast
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Major Beirut downtown streets were littered with debris and damaged vehicles, and building facades were blown out after a massive explosion that rocked the Lebanese capital on Tuesday.

Fireworks and ammonium nitrate appear to have been the fuel that ignited the explosion, experts and videos of the blast suggest.

The scale of the damage - from the epicenter of the explosion at the port of Beirut to the windows blown out kilometers (miles) away - resembles other blasts involving the chemical compound commonly used as an agricultural fertilizer.

A Lebanese Red Cross official said at least 100 people were killed and more than 4,000 were wounded, and said the toll could rise further.

16:06 IST, August 5th 2020