Report: Beirut Blast One of Largest Non-Nuclear Explosions in History

The Sheffield University report put the Beirut blast, which tore through the Lebanese capital and killed more than 190 people on Aug. 4, at one-twentieth the strength of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. (AFP/File Photo)
The Sheffield University report put the Beirut blast, which tore through the Lebanese capital and killed more than 190 people on Aug. 4, at one-twentieth the strength of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. (AFP/File Photo)
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Report: Beirut Blast One of Largest Non-Nuclear Explosions in History

The Sheffield University report put the Beirut blast, which tore through the Lebanese capital and killed more than 190 people on Aug. 4, at one-twentieth the strength of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. (AFP/File Photo)
The Sheffield University report put the Beirut blast, which tore through the Lebanese capital and killed more than 190 people on Aug. 4, at one-twentieth the strength of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. (AFP/File Photo)

The Beirut port explosion that took place on August 4 was one of the largest non-nuclear explosions ever recorded, researchers from Sheffield University’s Civil and Structural Engineering department said in a report.

The study found that the size of the explosion was the equivalent of between 500-1100 tonnes of TNT, releasing enough energy in a matter of milliseconds to power around 100 homes for a year.

According to the researchers, the blast is around 1/20th of the size of the atomic bomb that was used on Hiroshima on 6 August 1945 and is one of the largest non-nuclear explosions ever recorded.

The team analyzed videos of the explosion posted on social media to estimate the power of the blast by tracking how the explosion’s shockwave spread through the city killing 193 persons and wounding more than 6,500.

Investigations into the disaster determined that the explosion was the result of an accidental detonation of nearly three kilotons of ammonium nitrate, which had been stored without proper safety measures in one of the port’s warehouses since 2014.

Dr. Sam Rigby, Senior Lecturer in Blast and Impact Engineering at the University of Sheffield, said: “After seeing the events unfold, we wanted to use our expertise in blast engineering to help understand what had happened in Beirut and provide data that could be used to help prepare for, and save lives in such events should they ever happen again."

“By understanding more about the power of large scale accidental explosions like the one that occurred in Beirut, we can develop more accurate predictions of how different buildings will be affected, and the types of injuries there are likely to be at different distances from the blast.”



Fuel Shortages in Gaza at 'Critical Levels', UN Warns

 A Palestinian burns plastic waste to produce alternative fuel amid scarcity as the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, in northern Gaza Strip, September 5, 2024. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
A Palestinian burns plastic waste to produce alternative fuel amid scarcity as the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, in northern Gaza Strip, September 5, 2024. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
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Fuel Shortages in Gaza at 'Critical Levels', UN Warns

 A Palestinian burns plastic waste to produce alternative fuel amid scarcity as the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, in northern Gaza Strip, September 5, 2024. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
A Palestinian burns plastic waste to produce alternative fuel amid scarcity as the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, in northern Gaza Strip, September 5, 2024. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa

The United Nations warned Saturday that dire fuel shortages in the Gaza Strip had reached "critical levels", threatening to dramatically increase the suffering in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.

"After almost two years of war, people in Gaza are facing extreme hardships, including widespread food insecurity, seven UN agencies cautioned in a joint statement.

"When fuel runs out, it places an unbearable new burden on a population teetering on the edge of starvation," the statement added.