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Massive explosions in Beirut leave dozens dead and more than 2,000 injured


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SOURCE: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/beirut-lebanon-explosions-today-2020-08-04/
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Summary

Ambulances are still lifting the dead."  The sudden devastation overwhelmed a country already struggling with both the coronavirus pandemic and an economic crisis: Beirut hospitals quickly filled beyond capacity, pleading for blood supplies and generators to keep their lights on.The cause of the blast, which sparked fires, overturned cars and blew out windows and doors, was not immediately known.Abbas Ibrahim, chief of Lebanese General Security, said it might have been caused by highly explosive material that was confiscated from a ship some time ago and stored at the port. I haven't seen anything like that since the days of the (civil) war," said Marwan Ramadan, who was about 500 yards from the port and was knocked off his feet by the force of the explosion.Health Minister Hassan Hamad said the preliminary toll was more than 60 dead and more than 3,000 wounded. A civil defense official said there were still bodies inside the port, many under debris.Beirut's governor, Marwan Abboud, broke into tears as he toured the site, saying, "Beirut is a devastated city."Initially, video taken by residents showed a fire raging at the port, sending up a giant column of smoke, illuminated by flashes of what appear to be fireworks. Local TV stations reported that a fireworks warehouse was involved.The fire then appeared to catch at a nearby building, triggering a more massive explosion, sending up a mushroom cloud and a shock wave.Charbel Haj, who works at the port, said it started as small explosions like firecrackers.

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