An explosion on Tuesday in Lebanon killed dozens while nearly 3,000 people were injured in the event. The explosion took place in the nation’s capital of Beirut.
The Lebanon explosion took place in a warehouse where 2,750 tons (5.5 million pounds) of ammonium nitrate was stored unsecure. Ammonium nitrate is a key ingredient in fertilizer and fireworks that is extremely toxic and explosive. The warehouse caught fire and caused the eruption. Photos and videos of blasts were truly stunning with buildings and cars miles away being damaged.
The port of Beirut — a major economic hub for the country of Lebanon — was also destroyed. This is a major economic hit to a country finally starting to prosper after decades of wars. The revenue for the port of Beirut in 2017 was $313 million, a huge gain from $117 million just 10 years before.
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A 3.3 magnitude earthquake was also caused by the explosion. It’s unknown the damages caused by the earthquake but it was felt as far away as Cyprus, a small island nation hundreds of miles west in the Mediterranean.
The Lebanon Explosion has been declared the deadliest explosion since the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 that took over 168 lives. As of 6:45 PM ET, the death toll was at 73.