Mogadishu (SONNA)-Care taker prime minister of federal government of Somalia Mahdi Mohamed Gulled Kadar condoled with the government and people of Lebanon in a phone conversation with Lebanon’s Prime Minister Hassan Diab and sent his prayers and condolence to the bereaved families and those injured in Tuesdays’ tragic incident, SONNA reported.
Prime Minister Mahdi Gulled said “We are deeply saddened by the horrific explosion that happened in the capital Beirut. It’s an incident that no country has to witness; we stand with our brothers and sisters in Lebanon at these trying times. The government and the people of Somalia pray for the quick recovery of those injured and offer sincere condolence to those affected families. We stand by you and ready to support in any way we can”.
Ambassador Mahad Awad, Somalia’s Foreign Minister, prayed for the victims of the blast. My prayers and thoughts are with our Lebanese brothers and sisters. Our hearts are with you. May the Almighty Allah have mercy on those who died in this terrible explosion. May patience and solace be for their families and we pray for the quick recovery for the wounded.
A powerful blast in port warehouses near central Beirut storing highly explosive material killed 78 people, injured nearly 4,000 and sent seismic shockwaves that shattered windows, smashed masonry and shook the ground across the Lebanese capital.
Officials said they expected the death toll to rise further after Tuesday’s blast as emergency workers dug through rubble to rescue people and remove the dead. It was the most powerful explosion in years in Beirut, which is already reeling from an economic crisis and a surge in corona virus infections.
President Michel Aoun said that 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, used in fertilizers and bombs, had been stored for six years at the port without safety measures, and said it was “unacceptable”.
He called for an emergency cabinet meeting on Wednesday and said a two-week state of emergency should be declared.
@SONNA
