Chemical disaster in Beirut - 12th August 2020

Beirut is in Lebanon. There was a big disaster there on Tuesday, 5th August.

A fire at the port started the problem. It set fire to a chemical. This dangerous chemical exploded. There were 2,750 tonnes of the chemical, ammonium nitrate. People felt the explosion on Cyprus. Cyprus is 240 kilometres away.

Most of Beirut is damaged. 300,000 people have no home. 100,000 children are now homeless. 220 people died and 6,000 are hurt.

Help is coming to Beirut from other countries. On Monday, 10th August, the government left power. The government in Lebanon was very unpopular. It didn't try to stop the accident.