A massive explosion – which could be seen from neighbouring villages, and heard as far away as Cyprus – tore through the heart of Beirut on Tuesday, killing at least 100 people and injuring more than 3,700 others.
The blast, reported to have been caused by an accident, sent up an orange-tinged mushroom cloud that towered over the Lebanese capital, and emitted a shock wave that overturned cars and blew doors off hinges many kilometres away.
Beirut’s hospitals, already struggling to deal with shortages of equipment and electricity – as well as a resurgent coronavirus pandemic – were quickly overwhelmed. They appealed for donations of blood as triage centres were set up in parking lots and ambulances rushed to Beirut from hospitals around the country.
Ahead of a government cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Lebanon’s Supreme Defence Council recommended declaring a two-week state of emergency in the capital and handing over security responsibility to military authorities.
Source
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-hospitals-in-beirut-overwhelmed-with-influx-of-casualties-after/