Beyond the Headlines: Lebanon three years after the port blast

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Fatima Al Mahmoud reflects on August 4, 2020, when one of the biggest non-nuclear explosions in history changed the lives of many, including her own.

The explosion, which killed more than 220 people, injured thousands and caused widespread damage to the Lebanese capital, happened after a huge stock of ammonium nitrate – stored at the port for years – caught fire.

No reason has been given for the ammonium nitrate being there and the stalled investigation, which has been repeatedly blocked and undermined by legal challenges, has only compounded the grief.

For the anniversary, Fatima speaks to Lebanese who decided to leave the country - and others who decided to stay.

Updated: August 03, 2023, 12:38 PM