Officials to check Cebu warehouses following Beirut explosions

Third District Representative Pablo John Garcia asked the port and customs authorities to inspect all warehouses and storage facilities in Cebu for any materials that could cause danger or explosion following the twin blasts in Beirut, Lebanon.

The deadly blasts in Beirut killed more than 100 people and injured over 4,000 as of Monday afternoon.

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Garcia made the call following the tragic explosion in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, which killed over 100 and injured over 4,000 as of Wednesday afternoon.

According to Prime Minister Hassan Diab, 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate, an agricultural fertilizer, were stored in a portside warehouse that exploded, causing “a disaster in every sense of the word.”

General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim reported earlier that “highly explosive material” had been seized years earlier and stored in the warehouse.

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The blasts shook the entire city and were heard throughout Lebanon, and as far away as 240 kilometers away in Nicosia on the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus.

The lawmaker said the explosions in Lebanon could be an eye-opener for authorities to inspect warehouses in Cebu ports to prevent a similar catastrophe in the province.

Garcia said the contents of warehouses in port areas could be a cause of concern as many seized cargo and container vans are stored there for significant lengths of time.

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“This tragedy from across the world could be an eye-opener. Our hearts go out to the victims and their families. Their deaths and injuries should at least not be in vain,” Garcia said.

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Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed Wednesday that at least two Filipinos were among 73 casualties after two blasts rocked a port in Beirut, Lebanon.

The two Filipino workers were inside their employer’s house when the explosions happened. At least six other Pinoys who were also living with their employers were injured, said DFA, according to the Embassy.

The explosions also reached and damaged Beirut airport’s terminal, which was already nine kilometers from the blast.

As the national defense council declared Beirut a disaster zone, Diab appealed to Lebanon’s allies to “stand by” the country and “help us treat these deep wounds.”