Hundreds of people have been hospitalized across the Lebanese capital and many are feared dead in the aftermath of a massive blast that rocked Beirut, shattering glass and damaging buildings miles from the site.
Hospital emergency rooms are being inundated by the injured, with the emergency section of one main hospital – the American University of Beirut Medical Center – unable to receive more patients, partly due to blast damage, according to state media.
The Lebanese Red Cross, health officials and politicians have called on people to donate blood to help the injured in hospital.
Images from the city show cars, ambulances and military vehicles packed with the walking wounded and others who appeared not to be moving.
While officials have yet to announce an official number of casualties, multiple members of the emergency services and politicians speaking to local media have expressed worries that there could be a high death toll.