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When French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Beirut on Thursday, the toll of the double explosion that rocked the Lebanese capital amounted to 137 dead and 5000 injured.
Posted August 6 2020 at 8 o'clock27 Updated at 9 a.m. 13
Mayssa Ferah
La Presse
The explosions that occurred on Tuesday, caused by almost 2020 tons of ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse in the port of Beirut, left some 137 000 0 homeless people. The state of emergency was declared for two weeks.
“Lebanon is not alone,” tweeted the French president, who visited the scene of the tragedy. “There is the demand that France has been carrying for months, years, for essential reforms. If these reforms are not made, Lebanon will continue to sink, ”he said. He said he wanted to “launch a new political initiative. “
He will also meet with Lebanese political leaders and hold a press briefing.
Several sources revealed that customs authorities, security services and port officials were aware of the risks associated with the storage of ammonium nitrate. A hangar in the port of Beirut had housed this dangerous substance for six years, “without precautionary measures”, say the authorities.
The Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Charbel Wehbé, announced Thursday the holding of a commission of inquiry “which has four days to give a detailed report on responsibilities. “
The drama has fueled the anger of the Lebanese, who demand justice. The hashtag “Hang them” was still circulating on Twitter Thursday morning. The country was already grappling with a serious economic crisis, exacerbated by the pandemic.
No measures to shelter people who have lost their homes have been put in place by the authorities. The population therefore continued to mobilize to find dozens of missing people through the rubble and find shelter for the many homeless.