# Canonical recap data for Beirut Port Explosion (2020)
# Source: https://recap.at/2020/beirut-port-explosion
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: beirut-port-explosion
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/2020/beirut-port-explosion"
title: Beirut Port Explosion
aliases:
- Beirut Port Blast
- August 4 Explosion
- Port of Beirut Disaster
subtitle: A catastrophic ammonium nitrate blast killed over 200 people and devastated Beirut's port district, exposing decades of governmental negligence.
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 2020-08-04
datePrecision: day
year: 2020
decade: 2020
country:
name: Lebanon
slug: lebanon
summaryShort: On 4 August 2020, a major explosion occurred in Beirut, Lebanon, triggered by the ignition of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate. The chemical, confiscated in 2014 from the cargo ship MV Rhosus and stored at the Port of Beirut without adequate safety measures for six years, detonated after a fire broke out in a nearby wa
summaryLong: On 4 August 2020, a major explosion occurred in Beirut, Lebanon, triggered by the ignition of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate. The chemical, confiscated in 2014 from the cargo ship MV Rhosus and stored at the Port of Beirut without adequate safety measures for six years, detonated after a fire broke out in a nearby warehouse. The explosion resulted in at least 218 deaths, 7,000 injuries, and approximately 300,000 displaced people, alongside property damage estimated at US$15 billion. The blast released energy comparable to 1.1 kilotons of TNT, ranking it among the most powerful non-nuclear explosions ever recorded and the largest single detonation of ammonium nitrate.
lede: On August 4, 2020, a fire at Beirut's port ignited a massive stockpile of ammonium nitrate that had sat in a warehouse for six years, killing over 200 people and injuring thousands. The blast flattened buildings across the city, displaced hundreds of thousands, and deepened Lebanon's political and economic crisis.
heroImageUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Damages_after_2020_Beirut_explosions_1.jpg/1280px-Damages_after_2020_Beirut_explosions_1.jpg"
heroImageCredit: Wikipedia · "2020 Beirut explosion"
importance: 65
sourceConfidence: 75
keyFacts:
- label: Date
  value: August 4, 2020
- label: Location
  value: Port of Beirut, Lebanon
- label: Ammonium Nitrate
  value: 2,750 tonnes
- label: Deaths
  value: "218"
- label: Injuries
  value: 6,500
- label: Homes Destroyed
  value: ~55,000
- label: Estimated Damage
  value: $15 billion
- label: Storage Duration
  value: 6 years (since 2014)
- label: Source of Cargo
  value: MV Rhosus (confiscated ship)
- label: Blast Radius
  value: ~2.75 kilometres
timeline:
- date: 2014-07-05
  title: MV Rhosus Seized
  description: The cargo ship MV Rhosus, carrying 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate from Georgia to Mozambique, is impounded at Beirut Port due to structural problems and unpaid fees.
- date: 2014-11-15
  title: Cargo Transferred to Warehouse
  description: The ammonium nitrate is unloaded and transferred to Warehouse 12 at the Port of Beirut. No adequate safety measures are implemented despite repeated warnings from officials.
- date: 2020-07-31
  title: Fire in Warehouse
  description: A fire breaks out in Warehouse 12, likely triggered by welding work or fireworks stored nearby. Port authorities are notified but response is slow.
- date: 2020-08-04
  title: Major Explosion
  description: "At 6:07 PM local time, the ammonium nitrate detonates in a massive explosion. The blast is felt across the Mediterranean, registers 4.5 on the Richter scale, and destroys buildings up to 10 kilometres away."
- date: 2020-08-05
  title: Death Toll Confirmed
  description: Lebanese health authorities confirm at least 218 deaths and 6,500 injured. Hundreds remain missing in the rubble.
- date: 2020-08-09
  title: Mass Protests Begin
  description: Thousands take to Beirut streets demanding accountability. Anger targets political leadership and the government's negligence in storing the chemical.
- date: 2020-08-10
  title: Government Resignation
  description: Prime Minister Hassan Diab announces the resignation of the cabinet amid public outrage and international pressure for accountability.
- date: 2020-09-02
  title: International Donor Conference
  description: The World Bank and international partners pledge $246 million in emergency aid at a virtual conference, though assistance is slow to materialize.
sources:
- url: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Beirut_explosion"
  title: Beirut Port explosion
  provider: Wikipedia
related: []
impactStatement: The explosion killed 218 people and injured 6,500, destroyed roughly 55,000 homes, and caused an estimated $15 billion in damage. It exposed systemic negligence-officials had known about the ammonium nitrate since 2014-and triggered mass protests that destabilized an already fragile government.
categories:
- disaster
metaDescription: "August 4, 2020: Fire ignites 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate at Beirut port, killing 218 and injuring 6,500."
wikidataQid: Q98073118
archiveSnapshots:
- url: "https://web.archive.org/web/20200821223453/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Beirut_explosion"
  capturedAt: 2020-08-21
  label: Beirut Port explosion
  originalUrl: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Beirut_explosion"
taxonomy:
domain: environmental
eventTypes:
- natural_disaster
canonicalClasses:
- collapse
impactRadius: regional
velocity: sudden
predictability: black_swan
intentionality: natural
domainCoupling: multi_domain
