No Result
View All Result
Defensionem - The WarBible
  • Login
  • Register
  • Books
  • Short Posts
  • VIP
  • Aviation
  • Land
  • History
  • Syrian Conflict Watch
  • Sea
  • Countries
    • China
    • India
    • Middle East
    • Russia
    • South America
    • Syrian Conflict
    • United States of America (USA)
    • United Kingdom (UK)
  • About Us
PRICING
SUBSCRIBE
  • Books
  • Short Posts
  • VIP
  • Aviation
  • Land
  • History
  • Syrian Conflict Watch
  • Sea
  • Countries
    • China
    • India
    • Middle East
    • Russia
    • South America
    • Syrian Conflict
    • United States of America (USA)
    • United Kingdom (UK)
  • About Us
No Result
View All Result
Defensionem
Login
Home Land

Beirut Update: Ticking Time Bomb.

by Renaud Mayers
2 years ago
Reading Time: 6 mins read
0 0
0
Beirut update

The blast

Beirut update. On Tuesday the 4th of August, a devastating blast ravaged the port of Beirut, in Lebanon. The detonation prompted an internet meltdown, with everyone trying to understand what had caused such an explosion. Some people immediately pointed a finger toward Israel: Israel and Hezbollah had been skirmishing in the two weeks leading up to the port blast.

RELATED POSTS

Lauri Torni: The dude who really hated communists

Artillery strike on Zelenopillya: Carnage on the Ukrainian plains.

T-72B: Soviet Special Armour Package

Therefore, people wondered if this explosion wasn’t the result of an Israeli attack on a hidden Hezbollah weapon cache/factory. Some went as far as calling this potential attack a nuclear strike!

Beirut update
The blast

It seems, however, that this explosion is merely the end-result of a combination of corruption, inertia on the part of the local authorities and gross negligence. In September 2013, a ship called M/V Rhosus sailing from Georgia to Mozambique made a technical stop in Beirut. There were creditors’ claims against either the owner of the ship or the company that chartered it. In any case, the ship was impounded by the Lebanese authorities.

The case was never resolved and the ship’s cargo, 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate left unclaimed, was disembarked and stored in a nearby warehouse… The port authorities apparently petitioned the courts several times to have the Ammonium Nitrate removed. 6 years later, this literal time bomb was still inside that warehouse when it went off…

While we know what exploded (2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate, confirmed by the Lebanese authorities), we do not know as yet for sure what caused the initial fire / detonation.What we know is that Ammonium Nitrate might degrade over time. We also know that other (flammable) items were stored in the warehouse. Some people talk of fireworks! Finally, there’s strong evidence that welding work was being undertaken on some of the warehouse’s steel doors to reinforce them against theft.

Beirut update
The M/V Rhosus case

In the meantime, the death toll is now just over 135 people, and more than 5,000 people have been reported wounded. Both numbers are guaranteed to keep on rising as many people are still trapped in the rubble and ruins surrounding the port area.

  • Beirut update
    Welding work
  • Beirut update
    Welding work

The explosion has devastated half of Beirut, with buildings 6 km away from the blast showing damage. The port, which was the country’s main gateway for imported goods including food, has been left completely razed to the ground. A crater 120 metres in diameter now stands where the warehouse once was. The city’s grain elevator, the country’s second-largest, has been left completely gutted, destroying 15,000 tons of grain (85% of Lebanon’s total stock).

Buy JNews
ADVERTISEMENT

This, in a country that was already on the verge of food shortages… 3 hospitals have been destroyed or heavily damaged by the shockwave. The remaining hospitals, which were already overwhelmed by the Covid-19 pandemic, simply can’t cope with the influx of wounded people. 300,000 people have been left homeless.

The detonation was loud enough to be heard in Cyprus, over 200km away. The shock was recorded at between 3.3 and 4.2 on the Richter’s scale on seismometers around the world (figures vary depending on sources). The force of the blast was equivalent to a small tactical nuke with a yield standing at between 1.1Kt and 2Kt, or 15% of the total yield of the atomic bomb that detonated above Hiroshima.

France, Germany, U.K, China, Russia and Israel have offered medical and humanitarian assistance.



Tags: BeirutLebanon
ShareTweetSend

Renaud Mayers

Currently working on behalf of the Belgian Ministry of Defence, thanks to my knowledge in WWII and other areas. Working in two WWII era fortresses still belonging to the Army.

Related Posts

Lauri Torni: The dude who really hated communists
History

Lauri Torni: The dude who really hated communists

April 1, 2021
51
Artillery strike on Zelenopillya: Carnage on the Ukrainian plains.
Russia

Artillery strike on Zelenopillya: Carnage on the Ukrainian plains.

January 20, 2021
36
T-72B: Soviet Special Armour Package
Land

T-72B: Soviet Special Armour Package

January 15, 2021
116
Pershing 1945: First Blood in Europe
Germany

Pershing 1945: First Blood in Europe

January 17, 2021
21
Vauban star "forts": French army goes retro in Mali
France

Vauban star “forts”: French army goes retro in Mali

January 17, 2021
50
Lun-class Ekranoplan: Forbidden visit
Russia

Lun-class Ekranoplan: Forbidden visit

January 17, 2021
10
Next Post
US troops leaving Germany

NATO Rift: US Troops Leaving Germany

Why the Ukrainian conflict is first and foremost a civil war.

Why the Ukrainian conflict is first and foremost a civil war.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Books
  • Aviation
  • Land
  • Countries
  • Short Posts
  • Syrian Conflict Watch
  • Libyan Conflict Watch
  • Subscription Plans
  • Our Authors
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Write For Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy

Search

No Result
View All Result

Tags

Afghanistan Armenia Azerbaijan Belgium Chechnya China Crimea CSTO Donbass Donetsk egypt EuroMaidan Foxhound Germany India Israel Kh-22 Kh-47M2 Kinzhal Kosovo Luhansk MiG-31 Moscow Nagorno-Karabakh NATO Operation Allied Force Operation Noble Anvil Pantsir S1 Russia Russian navy S-300 S-400 Soviet Union Syria T-72B T-90M Tu-95 Turkey Ukraine USA VKS Vladimir Putin WWI WWII Yugoslavia

© 2020 Defensionem - The WarBible - a reliable source of information about conflicts & weapon systems from the world over.

No Result
View All Result
  • Books
  • Short Posts
  • VIP
  • Aviation
  • Land
  • History
  • Syrian Conflict Watch
  • Sea
  • Countries
    • China
    • India
    • Middle East
    • Russia
    • South America
    • Syrian Conflict
    • United States of America (USA)
    • United Kingdom (UK)
  • About Us

© 2020 Defensionem - The WarBible - a reliable source of information about conflicts & weapon systems from the world over.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
Log In ×
Forgot your Password?
Login With OTP
Resend OTP(00:30)
Don't have an account?
Signup
Resend OTP(00:30)
Back to login

Resend OTP (00:30)
Back to login
  • (+93) Afghanistan
  • (+355) Albania
  • (+213) Algeria
  • (+1) American Samoa
  • (+376) Andorra
  • (+244) Angola
  • (+1) Anguilla
  • (+1) Antigua
  • (+54) Argentina
  • (+374) Armenia
  • (+297) Aruba
  • (+61) Australia
  • (+43) Austria
  • (+994) Azerbaijan
  • (+973) Bahrain
  • (+880) Bangladesh
  • (+1) Barbados
  • (+375) Belarus
  • (+32) Belgium
  • (+501) Belize
  • (+229) Benin
  • (+1) Bermuda
  • (+975) Bhutan
  • (+591) Bolivia
  • (+599) Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
  • (+387) Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • (+267) Botswana
  • (+55) Brazil
  • (+246) British Indian Ocean Territory
  • (+1) British Virgin Islands
  • (+673) Brunei
  • (+359) Bulgaria
  • (+226) Burkina Faso
  • (+257) Burundi
  • (+855) Cambodia
  • (+237) Cameroon
  • (+1) Canada
  • (+238) Cape Verde
  • (+1) Cayman Islands
  • (+236) Central African Republic
  • (+235) Chad
  • (+56) Chile
  • (+86) China
  • (+57) Colombia
  • (+269) Comoros
  • (+682) Cook Islands
  • (+225) Côte d'Ivoire
  • (+506) Costa Rica
  • (+385) Croatia
  • (+53) Cuba
  • (+599) Curaçao
  • (+357) Cyprus
  • (+420) Czech Republic
  • (+243) Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • (+45) Denmark
  • (+253) Djibouti
  • (+1) Dominica
  • (+1) Dominican Republic
  • (+593) Ecuador
  • (+20) Egypt
  • (+503) El Salvador
  • (+240) Equatorial Guinea
  • (+291) Eritrea
  • (+372) Estonia
  • (+251) Ethiopia
  • (+500) Falkland Islands
  • (+298) Faroe Islands
  • (+691) Federated States of Micronesia
  • (+679) Fiji
  • (+358) Finland
  • (+33) France
  • (+594) French Guiana
  • (+689) French Polynesia
  • (+241) Gabon
  • (+995) Georgia
  • (+49) Germany
  • (+233) Ghana
  • (+350) Gibraltar
  • (+30) Greece
  • (+299) Greenland
  • (+1) Grenada
  • (+590) Guadeloupe
  • (+1) Guam
  • (+502) Guatemala
  • (+44) Guernsey
  • (+224) Guinea
  • (+245) Guinea-Bissau
  • (+592) Guyana
  • (+509) Haiti
  • (+504) Honduras
  • (+852) Hong Kong
  • (+36) Hungary
  • (+354) Iceland
  • (+91) India
  • (+62) Indonesia
  • (+98) Iran
  • (+964) Iraq
  • (+353) Ireland
  • (+44) Isle Of Man
  • (+972) Israel
  • (+39) Italy
  • (+1) Jamaica
  • (+81) Japan
  • (+44) Jersey
  • (+962) Jordan
  • (+7) Kazakhstan
  • (+254) Kenya
  • (+686) Kiribati
  • (+965) Kuwait
  • (+996) Kyrgyzstan
  • (+856) Laos
  • (+371) Latvia
  • (+961) Lebanon
  • (+266) Lesotho
  • (+231) Liberia
  • (+218) Libya
  • (+423) Liechtenstein
  • (+370) Lithuania
  • (+352) Luxembourg
  • (+853) Macau
  • (+389) Macedonia
  • (+261) Madagascar
  • (+265) Malawi
  • (+60) Malaysia
  • (+960) Maldives
  • (+223) Mali
  • (+356) Malta
  • (+692) Marshall Islands
  • (+596) Martinique
  • (+222) Mauritania
  • (+230) Mauritius
  • (+262) Mayotte
  • (+52) Mexico
  • (+373) Moldova
  • (+377) Monaco
  • (+976) Mongolia
  • (+382) Montenegro
  • (+1) Montserrat
  • (+212) Morocco
  • (+258) Mozambique
  • (+95) Myanmar
  • (+264) Namibia
  • (+674) Nauru
  • (+977) Nepal
  • (+31) Netherlands
  • (+687) New Caledonia
  • (+64) New Zealand
  • (+505) Nicaragua
  • (+227) Niger
  • (+234) Nigeria
  • (+683) Niue
  • (+672) Norfolk Island
  • (+850) North Korea
  • (+1) Northern Mariana Islands
  • (+47) Norway
  • (+968) Oman
  • (+92) Pakistan
  • (+680) Palau
  • (+970) Palestine
  • (+507) Panama
  • (+675) Papua New Guinea
  • (+595) Paraguay
  • (+51) Peru
  • (+63) Philippines
  • (+48) Poland
  • (+351) Portugal
  • (+1) Puerto Rico
  • (+974) Qatar
  • (+242) Republic of the Congo
  • (+40) Romania
  • (+262) Runion
  • (+7) Russia
  • (+250) Rwanda
  • (+290) Saint Helena
  • (+1) Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • (+508) Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  • (+1) Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • (+685) Samoa
  • (+378) San Marino
  • (+239) Sao Tome and Principe
  • (+966) Saudi Arabia
  • (+221) Senegal
  • (+381) Serbia
  • (+248) Seychelles
  • (+232) Sierra Leone
  • (+65) Singapore
  • (+1) Sint Maarten
  • (+421) Slovakia
  • (+386) Slovenia
  • (+677) Solomon Islands
  • (+252) Somalia
  • (+27) South Africa
  • (+82) South Korea
  • (+211) South Sudan
  • (+34) Spain
  • (+94) Sri Lanka
  • (+1) St. Lucia
  • (+249) Sudan
  • (+597) Suriname
  • (+268) Swaziland
  • (+46) Sweden
  • (+41) Switzerland
  • (+963) Syria
  • (+886) Taiwan
  • (+992) Tajikistan
  • (+255) Tanzania
  • (+66) Thailand
  • (+1) The Bahamas
  • (+220) The Gambia
  • (+670) Timor-Leste
  • (+228) Togo
  • (+690) Tokelau
  • (+676) Tonga
  • (+1) Trinidad and Tobago
  • (+216) Tunisia
  • (+90) Turkey
  • (+993) Turkmenistan
  • (+1) Turks and Caicos Islands
  • (+688) Tuvalu
  • (+1) U.S. Virgin Islands
  • (+256) Uganda
  • (+380) Ukraine
  • (+971) United Arab Emirates
  • (+44) United Kingdom
  • (+1) United States
  • (+598) Uruguay
  • (+998) Uzbekistan
  • (+678) Vanuatu
  • (+58) Venezuela
  • (+84) Vietnam
  • (+681) Wallis and Futuna
  • (+212) Western Sahara
  • (+967) Yemen
  • (+260) Zambia
  • (+263) Zimbabwe
Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?