German embassy employee killed in Beirut explosion

Berlin has sent aid and rescue teams to the Lebanese capital where the explosions have left more than 250,000 residents homeless

A woman stands inside a damaged restaurant. AP Photo

People and employees attend a mass over the victims who were killed in the blast, at the Al-Roum hospital at Ashrafieh area in Beirut. EPA

Workers are pictured at the devastated site of the explosion at the port of Beirut. EPA

A man sleeps near a damaged car near the site of Tuesday's blast in Beirut's port area. REUTERS

Workers line at the devastated site of the explosion at the port of Beirut. EPA

French President Emmanuel Macron visits the devastated site of the explosion at the port of Beirut. EPA

People and employees attend a mass over the victims who were killed in the blast, at the Al-Roum hospital at Ashrafieh area in Beirut. EPA

A view of the port of Beirut on January 25, 2020, left, and on August 5, 2020, a day after the explosion. AFP

Bride Israa Seblani poses for a picture in the same place where she was taking her wedding photos at the moment of the explosion. Reuters

People stand with their belongings as they leave their damaged homes. Reuters

A Lebanese man shows injuries on his back after the massive explosion in Beirut. EPA

Men are seen sitting inside a damaged home, following Tuesday's blast in Beirut's port area. Reuters

A pedestrian takes photos of a badly damaged building in Beirut. Bloomberg

Lebanese Druze clerics check damaged cars. AP Photo

A statue representing the Lebanese expatriate is seen in front of a building that was damaged by the explosion. AP Photo

People walk with their belongings in the area of Mar Mikhael and Gemayzeh. EPA

The curtains in the rooms of the Le Gray hotel in the Lebanese capital Beirut swaying in the wind. AFP

A view of a damaged Fransa Bank. EPA

People check damaged vehicles. EPA

Volunteers clean the streets amid the wreckage. Reuters

People carry belongings after evacuating their damaged housing units at area of Mar Mikhael and Gemayzeh. EPA

A destroyed Bank Audi SAL branch stands in Beirut. Bloomberg

A worker wearing a protective face mask stands at the entrance to a destroyed Fransabank SAL branch in Beirut. Bloomberg

Volunteers carry brooms as they walk to clean the streets. Reuters

A woman sits in front of a damaged building. EPA

A general view of the Beirut port area after the massive explosion. EPA

An aerial view shows the massive damage done to the Electricity of Lebanon building. AFP

A view of the damaged building of the Lebanese fashion designer Zuhair Murad. EPA

Volunteers gather aid supplies to be distributed for those affected by Tuesday's blast. Reuters

Lebanese men clears rubble, one day after the explosion at the Beirut Port, in the Gemayzeh area. EPA

Lebanese youth salvage a velvet sofa from a destroyed apartment in the Gemayzeh area of Beirut. EPA

Lebanese activists take part in a campaign to clean the damaged neighbourhood of Mar Mikhael. AFP

An injured Lebanese shop owner sits at her desk selling her wares. EPA

A worker at the German embassy in Beirut died in the twin explosions that rocked the Lebanese capital on Tuesday, Germany's Foreign Ministry has confirmed.

Heiko Maas, the German foreign minister, announced the death in a statement on Thursday.

“Our worst fear has been confirmed. A member of our embassy in Beirut was killed in the aftermath of the explosion in her home. All employees of the Federal Foreign Office are deeply saddened by their colleague,” Mr Maas said.

“I have expressed my condolences to the relatives and staff of the Beirut embassy, also on behalf of my colleagues and the federal government. I would like to thank everyone who, like our late colleague, takes great personal risks around the world every day in serving our country.”

The twin blasts in Beirut on Tuesday evening killed at least 137 people and injured more than 5,000, causing devastating damage to the city.

Germany sent aid and rescue teams to Beirut late on Wednesday to assist local authorities in dealing with the aftermath of the blast at the city’s port, which has left more than 250,000 people without homes fit to live in.

The German THW, the technical emergency organisation, and Isar Germany, the international search and rescue teams, were on the flight from Frankfurt to the Lebanese capital.

The plane was carrying search and rescue dogs, medical assessment teams, as well as 15 tonnes of equipment and tools, the THW chief of operations Timo Eilhard told Reuters.

The explosions, which could be felt about 230 kilometres away in Cyprus, was the most powerful ever to hit the Lebanese capital. The city was already reeling from a financial crisis and a spike in coronavirus infections.

Before the incident, Lebanon was already hosting more than 1.5 million refugees from the war in neighbouring Syria.

About half of the city was damaged by the larger blast, which Lebanon's government has blamed on 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive fertiliser, stored in an unsecured warehouse in the port.

Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab has said he will determine the exact cause of the explosions and “who was responsible”.

Countries around the world have voiced their support and pledged to send aid to help repair damage estimated at between $3 billion and $5bn (Dh11bn-Dh18.4bn).