Engineering a response to the Beirut blast

On August 4, 2020 the Lebanese capital of Beirut was rocked by an explosion that could be felt around 150 miles away on the island of Crete.

The blast, which took place in the city’s port area, was caused by the explosion of nearly 3000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate which had been stored in the vicinity for several years.

According to OCHA, the UN’s humanitarian affairs office, nearly 180 people were killed and over 6,000 injured in the blast, which destroyed most of Beirut’s port and surrounding neighbourhoods, leaving thousands homeless. The explosion damaged six hospitals, 20 health clinics and 120 schools.

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“The scale of the loss from the Beirut explosions is so vast, it is likely every single person in Lebanon has been touched by this terrible event”, said Najat Rochdi, the UN Deputy Special Coordinator, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Lebanon.

The international response was as awesome as the supersonic shockwave that radiated from the blast, with numerous organisations including the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement mobilising efforts to restore a semblance of normality to the citizens of Beirut. Among them were members of SARAID (Search and Rescue Assistance In Disasters), a volunteer force that heeded the call of Lebanese local authorities and sent two teams to the stricken city.