An Australian holidaying in Lebanon has described the terrifying moment his Tuesday evening was interrupted by a "sonic boom" caused by the massive and deadly explosion in Beirut.
Dubai-based Adam Malouf, originally from Sydney, said he and his family were enjoying a tranquil evening before the blast occured, rocking their accommodation and sending thick clouds of dark smoke billowing into the air.
“We felt what we thought was a sonic boom from a supersonic aircraft,” Mr Malouf told SBS News.
“The building where we are shook, everything around us shook. We saw a large plume of smoke come off the skyline.”
The mushroom-shaped explosion – which seismologists said was logged as the equivalent of a 3.3 magnitude quake - and the scope of the damage drew nuclear analogies in many people’s accounts of the tragedy.
Tuesday's blast, which appeared to have been caused by a fire igniting 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate left unsecured in a warehouse, was reportedly felt as far away as Cyprus, some 240 kilometres away.
Mr Malouf’s first thoughts after noticing the blast were for the safety of his young children, who were playing outside.
“It’s something that I’ve never experienced before, it’s quite unnerving,” he said. “We are all shaken, but thankfully we’re all together, which is such a great thing.”
While the damage was limited at his location, around 25 km from the site of the blast, Mr Malouf said some of his friends ventured into the city to check on their homes and were greeted with scenes of “complete devastation and carnage.”
"Apartments all smashed up. Roads, cars, infrastructure, all wrecked - it's just it's unbelievable what’s happened,” he said.
“There are still a number of people I know who are missing. There are people who have loved ones that are injured, and some people have lost loved ones as well."
Concern grows among Lebanese Australians
Meanwhile, Australia's Lebanese communities are fearing the worst, with the death toll from the blast expected to rise.
At least 100 people have already died, including one Australian. Thousands more are injured.
There are usually about 20,000 Australians in Lebanon's capital, although it is not clear how many expats remain in the city while the coronavirus pandemic sweeps through the area.
Western Sydney resident Talal Dib spent Wednesday frantically trying to locate his family and friends in Beirut.
He is opening up his family's homes back in Lebanon to help those who are injured or no longer have a roof over their head.
"I would do whatever I can, even if I can give them pieces of my body, because the children were flying off the balconies,” he said.
Lebanese Australian Talal Dib is offering his houses in Lebanon to those who need shelter. Source: SBS News
“The only thing I can do is offer what I have there.”
With wheat supplies destroyed and hospitals overwhelmed, Mr Dib fears more lives will be lost in the coming days.
“A lot [more] people are going to die, I'm sure,” he said.
“Maybe they didn't die straight away, but they are going to die. They won't find anyone to treat them, there's no medicine, no electricity ... nothing.”
Another Sydney resident, Fatimah Omran, whose aunt was caught up in the blast zone, also spent the day checking in on relatives.
"She is fine, but she said it's the end of the world there," Ms Omran said. "Hospital beds are full, and there is nowhere for people to go."
She says the deadly explosion could not have come at a worse time for her homeland.
Lebanon is already grappling with the fallout of political and economic instability and its health system risks being overwhelmed by the coronavirus pandemic.
“My first reaction was 'no, this can't be for Lebanon'. We are suffering at the moment so much,” Ms Omran said.
"They've got no flour to make bread anymore. When it comes to even a piece of bread, people have nothing to eat.”
The embattled government of Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab has described the circumstances at the port that led to the explosion as "unacceptable" and vowed to investigate.
Lebanese-Australian Fatimah Omran Source: SBS News
Criticism of the government was already rife on social media, where Lebanese users argued that a disaster of such magnitude could only strike in a state whose institutions are crippled by incompetence and corruption.
“I think it's irresponsible to have that quantity of chemicals so close to residential homes, but that's Lebanon in a nutshell,” Ms Omran said.
“There's no structure. There's so much corruption, that pretty much sums up Lebanon in every possible way.”
An interfaith vigil for those lost in the explosion is set to go ahead in Sydney in the coming days.
Additional reporting by Essam Al-Ghalib, Amelia Dunn and Naveen Razik.
