A week has passed since Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, was the scene of a catastrophic explosion that left at least 171 dead, more than 5,000 injured, thousands homeless, and plunged the country into a political crisis even deeper than the existing one.
This Tuesday, in the midst of a bleak panorama that recalled the scene of an earthquake, a crowd marched near the devastated port of the capital, to remember those who died in the accident that the hospitals still collapsed with people seeking care.
Hundreds of people gather this Tuesday, a week after the explosion, to honor the more than 170 deaths left by the accident. AP
The protesters observed a minute of silence at 6:08 pm. local time, the same time that this August 4, some 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate exploded in the port of Beirut. This chemical compound had been in storage for more than six years at the site , apparently with the knowledge of senior political and security officials.
The Lebanese demand that an investigation be carried out by an external and not local body, as they do not trust that those responsible for the negligence that led to the explosion will be brought to justice. AP
Church bells rang and mosque loudspeakers recited a call to prayer. Hundreds of people marched through the streets of the worst affected neighborhood, Gemayze, carrying portraits of the dead. Later, they held a candlelight vigil in the harbor. In other parts of the city, burials of the deceased continued.
A woman surrounded by rubble inside her home in Beirut, Lebanon, visibly damaged by the explosion that destroyed much of that capital on Tuesday, August 4. AFP via Getty Images
"He knew," read one of the banners with the photograph of Lebanese President Michel Aoun. The president, in office since 2016, said on Friday he was first informed about the dangerous reserves nearly three weeks ago and immediately ordered military and security agencies to do "whatever is necessary." But he suggested that his responsibility ended there , saying he had no authority over the port.
Anti-government protesters burn a barricade next to a wall installed by the security forces to block access to the Parliament building this Tuesday, August 11, during a demonstration after the explosion.
The explosion has fueled outrage against top political leaders and security agencies, prompting the government to resign on Monday. In the aftermath of the disaster, documents have come to light showing that senior Lebanese officials knew of the existence of reserves in the heart of Beirut, near the residential areas, and did nothing about it.
Naji Ghouma poses amid the rubble of his home in the damaged Gemmayze neighborhood of the Lebanese capital after the explosion. AFP via Getty Images
Ammonium nitrate, a chemical used in fertilizers and explosives , arrived in Beirut on a freighter named MV Rhosus that was traveling from the country of Georgia to Mozambique in 2013. It made an unscheduled detour to the Lebanese capital, where it was seized after being seized. unable to pay port fees.
In this photo taken by a drone and provided by the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, rescue teams, including the Russian team, search for missing persons near the scene of the explosion. AP
Aoun promised: “To all the Lebanese who are suffering, I will not shut up and I will not rest until the facts are revealed.” Referring the case to the Supreme Judicial Council is only the first step, he said.
A protester protests in front of the image of Lebanese President Michel Aoun, amid a crowd addresses Parliament after the resignation of the government Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
It is still unclear what caused the fire in a port warehouse that sparked the explosion, which produced a shock wave so powerful it was felt even on the distant island of Cyprus, more than 200 kilometers (180 miles) wide, in the Mediterranean.
The explosion left at least 171 dead, more than 5,000 injured, thousands homeless, and plunged the country into a political crisis even deeper than the existing one. AFP via Getty Images
Outgoing Health Minister Hamad Hassan said the blast killed at least 171 people, with between 30 and 40 missing . Of the injured, 1,500 needed special treatment, while 120 remain in intensive care, he said.
A group of people passes this Tuesday, August 11, in front of one of the many houses that was destroyed by the explosion. AP
The explosion damaged thousands of apartments and offices in the capital and came amid an unprecedented economic and financial crisis that the country has faced since late last year.
The director of the UN food agency, David Beasley, who said a day earlier that he was "very, very worried" that Lebanon could run out of bread in about two and a half weeks , told The Associated Press that the World Program Food was considering all options to make sure there are no interruptions in the food supply.
A woman in Beirut cleans up the debris from her blast-damaged house. AFP via Getty Images
“We are looking at the port of Tripoli. We are looking at all the other options, trucking food as well as shipping food, taking food by plane, whatever it takes, "Beasley said." Obviously we want the port to work as quickly as possible because that's the cheapest way. to feed most people. "
A man poses at his workplace in the Lebanese capital, devastated by the explosion. AFP via Getty Images
Meanwhile, efforts to form a new government began a day after the resignation of Prime Minister Hassan Diab. His government, which was supported by the militant group Hezbollah and its allies, collapsed after the deadly explosion, and three ministers announced their resignation.
This cabinet succeeded that of Saad Hariri, who resigned in October in response to anti-government demonstrations over sustained corruption. Months of bickering between the leadership factions passed before they decided on Diab.
The Lebanese honor the dozens of deaths caused by the explosion. AP
The Lebanese have demanded an independent cabinet that is not backed by any of the political parties they blame for the problems they are in . Some are also calling for an independent investigation into the port explosion, saying they have no confidence in a local investigation.
Lebanese mourners walk in the funeral procession for firefighter Michel Khuzami, who was killed in the explosion. AFP via Getty Images
But Lebanese officials have rejected an international investigation. The government, in the last decision it made before resigning, referred the case to the Supreme Judicial Council, the highest judicial body in Lebanon, which deals with crimes that threaten national security, as well as political and security-related crimes. of the State.
With information from AP
