Beirut explosion: more than 150 deaths

Shafaq news / the Media Office of the Lebanese Ministry of Health said today that the death toll from Beirut explosion has risen to 158. While, the number of people injured exceeded 6,000, and 21 are still reported missing, according to Reuters.

It is noteworthy that the explosion killed at least 154 people (among them 46 Syrian and the wife of the Dutch ambassador), more than 5000 wounded (120 of them are in critical condition), and 60 people are still missing.

Lebanese judicial authorities are investigating the incident, which the government said it was caused by the storage of a huge amount of ammonium nitrate in the Beirut port for 6 years.

Moreover, the number of arrested raised to 19, as the Lebanese authorities announced on Friday that Director-General of Lebanese Customs Badri Daher, the former director-general Shafiq Merhi, and the Director of Beirut Port, Hassan Koraytem were imposed detention on remand.