At least 20 people have been killed in a tank truck explosion in Lebanon

At least 20 people were killed and at least 80 were injured when a tank truck exploded in the Lebanese area of ​​Aqar on Saturday night, Saturday, August 14. According to the Red Cross Lebanon and the official media. “Our teams transported 20 bodies and more than 7 injured people from the area where a tanker truck exploded in Akkarai to hospitals in the area.”The Red Cross said on Twitter that 79 people had been injured.

When the play took place The army is stationed at gas stations And frightens a large hospital in the country “Immediate disaster” Due to Fuel shortage. The National News Agency (ANI, official) reported that the tanker seized by the military exploded after a clash between residents. They gathered around to get gas. The army was not at the scene when the blast occurred, he added.

Yassin Medlej, one of its staff, said at least seven bodies and dozens of burned people had been transferred to a hospital in Akkarai. The hospital had to refuse most of the injured as there was no hospital to treat severe burns. Some were taken to Al-Salam Hospital in Tripoli, 25 km away, which was only fitted in the area to deal with burn victims.

Former Prime Minister Chad Hariri has killed more than 200 people and destroyed entire parts of the capital, compared to the devastation that destroyed the port of Beirut a year ago. “The Acker massacre is no different from the port massacre”, Does he have Written on Twitter. “If this country respects its people, its leaders will resign from the presidency until the last person due to this negligence.”, He added.

President Michael Aun has called on the judiciary to launch an inquiry into the circumstances that led to the eruption – no decision has been made to date in the port of Beirut – Interim Health Minister Hamad Hassan has ordered all hospitals in the country. “Welcome to the wounded of this tragic tragedy at the expense of the Ministry”.

Dramatic economic crisis

Since the end of 2019, Lebanon has been experiencing the worst economic crisis in the world since 1850 and has experienced significant fuel shortages affecting the supply of basic commodities, according to the World Bank.

On Saturday, central bank governor Riyad Salam refused to overturn a recent decision to raise fuel subsidies, raising fears of rising prices. “Unless the use of compulsory (currency) reserves is legalized”.

“We still have $ 14 billion (mandatory) reserves, plus $ 20 billion in external assets”, He said on the microphone of a local radio station. BDL’s foreign exchange reserves exceeded $ 30 billion before the crisis. They melted as the Lebanese pound lost more than 90% of its value against the dollar, making the cost of imports too high. The greenback is trading above 20,000 20,000 on the black market today, with the official ratio still maintained at 50 1,507.

Gas stations taken by the storm

Many companies had to close their doors due to the lack of diesel for private generators, while power cuts were at a peak for more than 22 hours a day.

Local media reported that endless queues formed outside gas stations on Saturday as fuel delivery trucks were attacked by annoyed citizens.

Some gas stations have been closed to keep fuel stocks pending further price hikes. Soldiers were largely stopped at gas stations that opened early Saturday morning in northern Beirut and elsewhere, according to Agency France-Presse reporters. The military says 78,000 liters of petrol and 57,000 liters of diesel were seized in two-thirds of the country’s east.

The American University of Beirut Hospital (AUBMC), one of the country’s leading private hospitals, issued a warning on Saturday “Immediate disaster”He said he was forced to suspend his operations within 48 hours if fuel was not available.

“Forty sick adults and 15 children, in respiratory apparatus, die instantly”, AUBMC warns in a press release. “180 people suffering from kidney failure will die of poisoning after a few days (…) Hundreds of cancer patients, adults and children, will die in the coming weeks.”