By Maayan Lubell, Rami Ayyub and Katharine Houreld Aug 7 (Reuters) - The devastating explosion in Beirut should be a wake-up call for countries on the dangers of ammonium nitrate, which caused the blast, experts say. Lebanese authorities said 2,750 tonnes of the industrial chemical had been stored for six years at Beirut port without safety measures. That stockpile exploded … [Read more...]
NOAA Upgrades Hurricane Outlook to Record 25 Named Storms
HOUSTON, Aug 6 (Reuters) - The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on Thursday increased its prediction for the number of tropical storms expected this year to as many as 25, the highest in the agency's history, the lead forecaster said. The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, which began on June 1, has already produced nine named tropical storms, two of … [Read more...]
Beirut’s Accidental Cargo: How an Unscheduled Port Visit Led to Disaster
By Maria Vasilyeva MOSCOW, Aug 6 (Reuters) - The chemicals that went up in flames in Beirut's deadliest peace-time explosion arrived in the Lebanese capital seven years ago on a leaky Russian-leased cargo ship that, according to its captain, should never have stopped there. "They were being greedy," said Boris Prokoshev, who was captain of the Rhosus in 2013 when he says the … [Read more...]
Tripoli and Adjacent Ports Set to Pick Up Imports in Wake of Beirut Blast
By Ellen Francis and Maha El Dahan BEIRUT/DUBAI, Aug 5 (Reuters) - Lebanon's main grain silo at Beirut port was destroyed in a blast, leaving the nation with less than a month's reserves of the grain but enough flour to avoid a crisis, the economy minister said on Wednesday. Raoul Nehme told Reuters a day after Tuesday's devastating explosion that Lebanon needed reserves for … [Read more...]
Heavy Weather Topples Cranes at India’s Top Container Port
Aug 5 (Reuters) - Three cranes collapsed at India's largest container port on the outskirts of Mumbai due to strong winds on Wednesday, police and port officials said. Heavy rainfall has hit India's west coast since Monday night, flooding parts of the financial capital. Wind speeds picked up on Wednesday afternoon, officials … [Read more...]