While authorities in Beirut are rushing to help those affected by the deadly explosion that rocked the city and to determine what caused it, the first eyewitnesses have started sharing their accounts of the terrifying event.
One recalled that everything started with a strong wind blowing outside that grew in strength over several seconds. The wind, however, was soon followed by a loud boom and what felt like a powerful earthquake, shaking windows and walls.
"After that, the blast wave started shattering windows, we heard the sound of explosion and the quakes intensified. Everything was being destroyed for straight 10 minutes as people were running out of the buildings in panic. And then it all suddenly went quiet", the eyewitness recalls.
The Lebanese authorities are still trying to figure out what it was that exploded in Beirut’s port, the epicentre of the blast, that could rip through a large part of the city centre. Israel and Hezbollah have already denied involvement in the explosion in any capacity.
The exact number of casualties is yet to be released, but the local Red Cross has reported over 70 deaths and 2,200 injured as a result of the tragic incident. The Lebanese authorities have so far confirmed only 30 fatalities.