Around 300,000 people displaced after deadly Beirut blast: Governor

Earlier in the day, the official estimated the amount of damage from the explosion at around USD3-5 billion.

A massive explosion rocked Beirut on August 4, flattening much of the port, damaging buildings across the capital and sending a giant mushroom cloud into the sky. (Photo | AP)

BEIRUT: Around 300,000 people became homeless as a result of the recent powerful explosion in the port of Beirut in Lebanon, the city's Governor Marwan Abboud, said on Wednesday.

The explosion rocked the city late on Tuesday. According to the Lebanese authorities, it was caused by improper storage of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate.

READ|Ammonium nitrate: Fertilizer responsible for Beirut blast that killed more than 100, injured thousands

"About 300,000 people have been displaced in the Lebanese capital after the port explosion. The cost of the destruction exceeds $3 billion," Abboud said, as quoted by the Al Mayadeen broadcaster.

Earlier in the day, the official estimated the amount of damage from the explosion at around USD3-5 billion.