A massive explosion just devastated Beirut. Here's what the unbelievable destruction looks like for people on the ground.

rpickrell@businessinsider.com (Ryan Pickrell,Charles Davis)
·4 min read
A helicopter puts out a fire at the scene of an explosion at the port of Lebanon's capital Beirut on August 4, 2020.
A helicopter puts out a fire at the scene of an explosion at the port of Lebanon's capital Beirut on August 4, 2020.

(Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images

  • A devastating explosion rocked Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, on Tuesday.

  • The cause of the blast is being investigated, but a senior Lebanese intelligence official said that he suspects that confiscated high-explosive materials stored at the port where the explosion occurred are to blame.

  • The country's health ministry says that at least 78 people are dead and more than 4,000 people are injured.

  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A huge explosion in the Lebanese capital of Beirut Tuesday caused widespread devastation. The number of casualties and the full extent of the damage are still emerging.

Early state media reporting said the blast followed the outbreak of a fire at a fireworks storage facility at the local port, but the director of Lebanese intelligence pointed to highly-explosive materials that had been confiscated and stored in the area.

The exact cause of the terrible blast, which was captured on video, is under investigation.

The following photos, some of which are GRAPHIC, show the situation on the ground in Beirut.

An orange-red cloud lingered over the blast site shortly after the explosion.

A picture shows the scene of an explosion in Beirut on August 4, 2020
A picture shows the scene of an explosion in Beirut on August 4, 2020.

Photo by ANWAR AMRO/AFP via Getty Images

The blast caused widespread destruction well beyond the port where the explosion occurred.

A man reacts at the scene of an explosion at the port in Lebanon's capital Beirut on August 4, 2020
A man reacts at the scene of an explosion at the port in Lebanon's capital Beirut.

Photo by IBRAHIM AMRO/AFP via Getty Images

The blast, which was felt miles away, severely damaged buildings, blowing out windows and doors and collapsing ceilings.

A picture shows the scene of an explosion at the port in the Lebanese capital Beirut on August 4, 2020
A picture shows the scene of an explosion at the port in the Lebanese capital Beirut on August 4, 2020

Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images

A reporter for The Independent who was in the area said the shock wave from the blast "literally pushed us [to] fall to our knees."

 

Emergency workers rushed onto the scene to attend to the wounded, as well as to battle fires in the wake of the explosion.

Firefighter douse a blaze at the scene of an explosion at the port of Lebanon's capital Beirut on August 4, 2020.
Firefighter douse a blaze at the scene of an explosion at the port of Lebanon's capital Beirut on August 4, 2020.

Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images

Fires could be seen burning at the port into the evening.

A helicopter puts out a fire at the scene of an explosion at the port of Lebanon's capital Beirut on August 4, 2020.
A helicopter puts out a fire at the scene of an explosion at the port of Lebanon's capital Beirut on August 4, 2020.

(Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images

A New York Times reporter shared what she described as "terrifying" footage of the streets of Beirut on social media.

 

Lebanon's health minister said that at least 78 people were killed in the explosion.

People carry a wounded man after a fire at a warehouse with explosives at the Port of Beirut led to massive blasts in Beirut
People carry a wounded man after an explosion at the Port of Beirut.

Photo by Houssam Shbaro/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

He added that more than 4,000 people have been injured.

An injured man is treated after a large explosion on August 4, 2020 in Beirut, Lebanon
An injured man is treated after a large explosion on August 4, 2020 in Beirut, Lebanon

(Photo by Daniel Carde/Getty Images

Source: The New York Times

Local media reports have said that hospitals have been overwhelmed by the high number of casualties.

A picture shows the scene of an explosion at the port in the Lebanese capital Beirut on August 4, 2020
A picture shows the scene of an explosion at the port in the Lebanese capital Beirut on August 4, 2020.

Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images

The country's prime minister has declared Wednesday a national day of mourning in response to Tuesday's tragedy.

A helicopter puts out a fire at the scene of an explosion at the port of Lebanon's capital Beirut on August 4, 2020
A helicopter puts out a fire at the scene of an explosion at the port of Lebanon's capital Beirut on August 4, 2020..

Photo by STR / AFP) (Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images

US President Donald Trump suggested the explosion may have been an "attack," angering Lebanese officials who say there is no evidence to support the claim.

GettyImages 1227911195
This picture taken on August 4, 2020 shows a general view of destruction in the Gemmayzeh area in the centre of Lebanon's capital Beirut.

AFP via Getty Images

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