The Lebanese authorities have warned that citizens in some areas of the capital, Beirut, face the danger of poisoning by toxic gases emitted by the huge explosion that rocked the city's port yesterday.
The meteorology department of the Lebanese Civil Aviation Administration advised the citizens today, "not to approach the area of the explosion to avoid pollution and avoid mountainous areas north of the area of the explosion, as it is the most vulnerable to the cloud of poisonous gases emitted from the explosion because most of the air is southwest".
This warning came after the explosion that killed at least one hundred people and injured more than four thousands, not to mention the enormous material damage to the city.
This is the most powerful explosion witnessed in the Lebanese capital throughout its history.
The reason for the explosion is due to a large shipment of ammonium nitrate estimated at 2750 tons, which was stored 6 years ago in a warehouse in the port.
The Lebanese Minister of Health, Hassan Hamad, confirmed that the number of people still missing after the huge explosion that shook Beirut Port exceeds the death toll from the victims whose bodies were taken to hospitals.
Hamad confirmed, in an interview with "Sky News Arabia" today, Wednesday, that the death toll from the explosion that occurred yesterday is still rising and has so far reached about 100 dead and four thousand wounded.
He noted that the rescue and civil defense teams are still searching for the missing at the location of the explosion that spanned Its effects extend to more than 20 km in the capital.
The minister pointed out that the explosion severely damaged hundreds of buildings.
He added that many of the wounded are still without treatment due to the lack of capacity at hospitals near or far from the capital, which were filled with the injured.
Hamad affirmed that four hospitals in Beirut were completely damaged by the explosion and the patients who were lying there were transferred to another, saying that "this exacerbated the problem and transformed the crisis into an epidemic health disaster par excellence".
The minister acknowledged that the Health Ministry warehouses were severely damaged by the explosion.
He went on to say that bodies of his ministry are striving to receive and rescue patients, despite the limited capabilities and scarcity of materials, and there are not enough medical materials".
The minister pointed out that these tragic developments come against the background of the continuing pandemic of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).
He described what happened as "a catastrophe in the fullest sense of the word".
On the other hand, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced today, Wednesday, that Russia and Lebanon are in the process of agreeing on practical steps to prepare humanitarian operations after the Beirut explosion, which is scheduled to start at the earliest time.
"On the instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Russian Ministry of Emergency is working in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Consumer Protection Authority to develop a plan to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to the friendly people of Lebanon" in order to remove the consequences of the catastrophic explosion that struck Beirut on Tuesday," the ministry said in a statement.
The statement added that a decision has been taken to send a group of rescuers to Beirut with the necessary equipment to conduct search and rescue operations in the destroyed buildings, an airborne hospital and a mobile laboratory to detect corona and means of protection.
He continued: "The Lebanese leadership welcomed the Russian initiative and expressed gratitude for the willingness to help."
At the present time, the two parties are coordinating practical steps in preparation for the implementation of the Russian humanitarian operation in Lebanon, which is scheduled to start as soon as possible.
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