Beirut explosion: scores dead and thousands hurt as blast rips through city

Beirut has been rocked by two powerful explosions, devastating parts of the city and injuring thousands of people. Eyewitness footage shared widely on social media showed a section of the city’s port area on fire before a huge blast engulfed nearby neighbourhoods, flattening buildings and leaving streets littered with broken glass and debris.
The Lebanese security chief, Abbas Ibrahim, later blamed combustible chemicals stored in a warehouse. Lebanon’s prime minister, Hassan Diab, said those responsible would ‘pay a price’ for the disaster.
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