Part of Beirut’s port silos collapse on second anniversary of massive explosion

Thursday’s collapse of roughly a quarter of the structure occurred an hour before hundreds of people were to gather outside the facility to mark the second anniversary of the blast

Dust rises from collapsing silos damaged during the August 2020 massive explosion in the port, in Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022. A large section collapsed on Thursday as hundreds marched in Beirut to mark the second anniversary of the blast that killed scores. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

A large section of Beirut’s giant port grain silos, which were shredded by a massive explosion two years ago, have collapsed as hundreds marched in the city to mark the second anniversary of the blast that killed nearly 220 people.

The northern block of the silos consisting of four towers had been slowly tilting for days and collapsed, causing a huge cloud of dust that covered the structure that shielded Beirut’s western neighbourhoods when the blast occurred on August 4 2020.