Lebanon: The Explosion in Beirut

By Ali Ahmed

The blast, caused by over 2700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, destroyed much of the port infrastructure. Normally used as a fertilizer and medium for explosives, the large shipment of ammonium nitrate had been seized from a transport ship bound for Mozambique from Georgia in 2013. The ship involved in its transport, the MV Rhosa, needed repairs and docked in the port of Beirut. However, upon the discovery of the volatile ammonium nitrate, authorities in Beirut seized the compound and prohibited the ship from proceeding through the Suez Canal. After the seizure, the owner of the shipment (a Cyprus-based Russian oligarch named Igor Grechushkin) went bankrupt, and a battle for the shipment’s legal status led to its long-term storage in a warehouse on the port.

During the series of legal battles that ensued, the shipment remained in the storage facility near Lebanon’s grain silo on the port. Despite the several attempts notwithstanding to either use the shipment for explosives or fertilizer, the ammonium nitrate remained in the warehouse.

Coming to the present, on August 4th, 2020, a small fire had broken out on the port, during which 10 firefighters had been dispatched. This fire set off a weaker, primary explosion caused by fireworks stored in a nearby facility. Following this primary explosion, a secondary blast took place, believed to have been caused by the ammonium nitrate. A red-orange cloud rose from the port, indicative of nitrogen dioxide (a byproduct of the combustion of ammonium nitrate, a telltale sign that the ammonium nitrate had caused the explosion). The detonation of the ammonium nitrate created a blast equivalent to 1.2 kilotons of TNT. In comparison, the atomic bombs used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki yielded approximately 15 kilotons of TNT.

Needless to say, the effects of the explosion were catastrophic to the already struggling nation. In the blast, more than 150 people were immediately killed and over 5,000 people were injured. In addition, much of the port infrastructure and airport are heavily damaged, preventing vital resources from entering the country. Although many nations are offering humanitarian aid to the nation, transportation of said aid into Beirut has become exponentially more difficult.

Furthermore, the political structure of Lebanon has made providing relief to the region difficult. A nation plagued by corruption and mismanagement, Lebanon’s fiscal and socioeconomic conditions were dire prior to Tuesday’s blast. For example, the nation was forced to default on its debts in March and seek aid from the IMF. In addition, the nation had been weakened by a civil war in the 1980’s and conflicts with neighboring Israel. Furthermore, the blast destroyed vital food banks located near the port, leaving the nation with only a month's food supply. As such, the blast on the 4th has further exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon.

Currently, the status of Lebanon remains uncertain. As the nation tries to recover from such a devastating humanitarian catastrophe, its people march on in their enduring struggles. As of August 7th, 2020, many nations, including Israel, the United States, and Germany, have offered aid to the nation. Hopefully, in these dire times, the world will rally around Lebanon and help the nation recover stronger than before.

To help Lebanon recover and get back up on its feet from this devastating incident, visit Islamic Relief to look for ways to help. You can visit here to donate to a list of organizations as provided by Islamic Relief USA. These organizations will help support the Lebanese communities who are most at risk such as Syrian refugees. You can also donate to Islamic Relief USA because one of the countries they visit to help is Lebanon, and your donation can go farther by helping to reach other vulnerable Muslim countries like Yemen. It is strongly encouraged to avoid donating to the Lebanese government directly as they are responsible for this devastation and the focus of your donation should be to help those inflicted.

Works Cited

The Associated Press. “What We Know about the Explosion in Beirut.” AP NEWS, Associated

Press, 7 Aug. 2020, apnews.com/a1cb0d3a1597572b5c7fe59dccc6ae4e.

Regan, Helen. “Beirut Port Employees Detained in Investigation after Devastating Explosion Sparks

Fury.” CNN, Cable News Network, 6 Aug. 2020,

www.cnn.com/2020/08/06/middleeast/beirut-explosion-anger-intl-hnk/index.html.