Abstract
The largest non-nuclear blast in modern history took place on August 4, 2020, at 6:07 PM in Beirut, Lebanon, after an estimated 2750 tons of unsafely stored ammonium nitrate exploded. The physical and social impacts of this catastrophic event coinciding with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic were massive. This article describes the national and international emergency responses to this event and highlights the impact of the explosion on the health care sector in Lebanon. Challenges noted during this response with recommendations for improving response to future disasters are also described.
Highlights
The largest non-nuclear explosion in modern history took place on August 4, 2020, at 6:07 PM in Beirut, Lebanon
At the time of this report, the direct cause of this incident was still being investigated and theories ranged from a deliberate attack on the storage site to an accidental explosion of a large volume of explosive chemical material stored in an unsafe manner
The chemical cargo was present in the hangar for over 6 years after the Lebanese Port authorities confiscated it from a ship that entered the port to transport additional cargo but, for presumed technical reasons, the chemical cargo was unable to proceed with its journey from Georgia to Mozambique
Summary
Beirut ammonium nitrate explosion: a man-made disaster in times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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