Beirut: Authorities in Beirut have increased the death count from the devastating explosions on Tuesday to at least 135, while one official said Wednesday it could cost Lebanon’s capital as much as $5 billion to recover.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun called for an emergency Cabinet meeting and asked for a two-week state of emergency.
Beirut Gov. Marwan Abboud said about 300,000 were homeless after the blasts and estimated repair costs in the billions. Lebanese Red Cross workers searched abandoned neighborhoods on Wednesday, reporting more than 5,000 injured.
Abboud told local media that damages could range from $3 billion to $5 billion, or “maybe more.” The death toll was in the dozens on Tuesday and had risen to triple digits on Wednesday, the Red Cross said.
Officials said they expect the toll to rise as they dig through the debris.
Authorities believe an initial explosion occurred at a warehouse near Beirut’s port and ignited a fire, followed by multiple smaller explosions and, finally, a massive blast that caused the most damage. They said stored ammonium nitrate in the area was the likely source.
Seismologists said the biggest explosion was equivalent to a 3.3-magnitude earthquake.
