Steph Deschamps / August 6, 2020
A few hours after the violent explosions that hit Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, the first testimonies from locals reach us. Nelia who was jogging with a friend tells how she experienced the tragedy: "We heard a small explosion and we saw smoke but we did not understand that it was so serious. Then, I saw that great wave of white smoke like it was a nuclear explosion. And at that point, I thought it was the end.
A sentiment most certainly shared by the many patients at Saint George's Hospital, located a few miles from the site of the explosion, as you can see on the map. When he arrived at his place of work, Doctor Jean-François Jabbour could only observe the monumental scale of the damage: "When I returned to hospital, I discovered it totally destroyed inside. floors and ceilings had all collapsed. There was debris everywhere. There were no more windows or doors. Electricity was cut on all floors. There were so many injuries and many were confused and in urgently need medical help. «
Medical help difficult or even impossible to provide as all the hospital staff are totally overwhelmed given the seriousness of the events: "Many people had to be intubated and others who were bleeding profusely required rapid medical help", says Dr Jabbour. . "So, as soon as reinforcements arrived, we decided to look at every floor of the hospital. We found patients in their beds, bleeding with family members on the ground near them and them. patients unable to move. All patients had to be evacuated wearing them. «
A horror scene, among others experienced yesterday by Beirut and its inhabitants.
Credit : Sudinfo