Watch: Debris falls on Lebanese priest, parishioners during Beirut explosions

Debris fell on a priest and his parishioners in Beirut during the powerful explosions that erupted in the port of the Lebanese capital, according to a video of the holy mass that was being livestreamed online.

The exact location and fate of the people seen in the video shared by Alhurra correspondent Steven Nabil have not yet been known.

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A huge blast in port warehouses near central Beirut storing highly explosive material killed 78 people, injured nearly 4,000, and sent shockwaves that shattered windows, smashed masonry, and shook the ground across the Lebanese capital.

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For full story on the Beirut explosions, click here.

Officials said they expected the death toll to rise further after Tuesday’s blast as emergency workers dug through rubble to rescue people and remove the dead. It was the most powerful explosion in years to hit Beirut, which is already reeling from an economic crisis and a surge in coronavirus infections.

President Michel Aoun said that 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate had been stored for six years at the port without safety measures and said it was “unacceptable.”

He called for an emergency cabinet meeting on Wednesday and said a two-week state of emergency should be declared.

(With Reuters)