Beirut was devastated by a massive explosion in Lebanon’s largest port, killing at least 135 people and displacing over 300,000. We @nytimes examined videos, photos and satellite imagery to understand what happened. THREAD
The explosion's exact cause is still unclear, but this video shows how the incident unfolded. At 5:54pm, an explosion and fire was reported at a port warehouse. Over the next 14 min, the fire crept towards 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate, setting off a huge blast around 6:08pm.
Experts told us the distinct, reddish color of the smoke is consistent with an ammonium nitrate explosion.
The resulting pressure wave shattered glass as far as 1.25 miles away. Videos capture a white dome caused by the mass of exploding ammonium nitrate pushing molecules of humid air against each other as it pushed through Beirut.
Buildings near the port were stripped to their foundations. Glass lined the streets. Across Beirut, critical infrastructure was damaged including museums, mosques, and businesses.
In one notable loss, the blast destroyed Lebanon’s main grain silo, which is also located in the port of Beirut and contained at least 15,000 tons of food at the time. This loss could jeopardize food security. 
At least 5,000 people were injured. Hospitals, already overrun with COVID-19 patients, struggled to accommodate the influx of people wounded by broken glass. Many hospitals were shaken or damaged. At least four hospitals were within 1.25 miles of the port.
Thank you to our core team: @evanchill, @trbrtc, @ckoettl, @DrewJordan_NYT, @dim109, @bottidavid, @sameenamin and @johnismay.
Read and watch our full investigation here: nytimes.com/2020/08/05/vid…
