Tuesday afternoon, a first explosion was heard in Beirut followed by another very powerful which caused a gigantic mushroom in the sky.
The buildings shook and the windows were smashed for miles around. The breath was felt as far as the island of Cyprus, about 200 km away.
In the streets, soldiers evacuated stunned residents, some covered in blood, their T-shirts around their heads to heal their wounds. Volunteers helped others find assistance. In the port, carcasses of cars one on top of the other, the framework of warehouses on the ground.
“It's a disaster inside. There are corpses on the ground. Ambulances take the bodies, ”said a soldier near the port. A man in tears was trying to hear from a soldier about his son who was in port.
Several hours after the tragedy, helicopters continued to pour downpours in an attempt to extinguish the flames.