Lebanese capital rocked by huge explosion
Those responsible for Beirut blast "will pay for what happened," Lebanese prime minister says
Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab said that Tuesday’s explosion in the Lebanese capital “will not pass without accountability” and “those responsible will pay for what happened.”
He said that an investigation into the explosion will include “revelations that will be announced about this dangerous warehouse which has been present since 2014,” without providing any additional details.
Describing the explosion as a “catastrophe,” he said in a televised statement that the priority now was to recover the dead and treat the injured.
He concluded by making “an emergency call to all those countries who love this country to stand by us and to help us heal our deep wounds.”
Eyewitness footage shows Beirut blast from nearby boat
Hani Abughazaleh and friends had been fishing off the coast of Beirut, Lebanon.
"We heard a couple of small explosions and saw white smoke rising above," he told CNN.
CNN's producer in Beirut Ghazi Balkiz said the initial explosion happened at 6:07 p.m. local time.
Abughazaleh began taking a video at 6:08 p.m. local time and seven seconds later, the massive red explosion cloud appears. The sudden and intense explosion is so powerful a massive, visible shockwave forms in the sky.
Watch the moment:
He said when the shockwave hit the group, it almost knocked them off the We saw a red plume rising and people panicked wondering if it's some sort of lethal gas," he said.
He said when the shockwave hit the group, it almost knocked them off the We saw a red plume rising and people panicked wondering if it's some sort of lethal gas," he said.
"Oh my God," someone in the video exclaims.
Two more videos taken by Abughazaleh shows the red cloud billowing above Beirut.
As the boat began to make its way back to the shore along the coast, the red cloud appears to have dispersed and a red haze appears in the air.
"I drove home to asses the damage in my house and saw hundreds of injured people," he said.
Rescue and aid headed to Lebanon, French president says
French President Emmanuel Macron said "rescue and aid" were on the way to Lebanon following a massive explosion in Beirut on Tuesday.
"I express my fraternal solidarity with Lebanese people after the explosion that caused so many casualties and so much damage tonight in Beirut," Macron tweeted.
"France stands by Lebanon’s sides. Always. French rescue and aid is on its way," he added.
Macron also talked on the phone with his Lebanese counterpart, Michel Aoun, following the incident, the Elysée told CNN.
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