17 Dead and 400 Injured So Far in Tianjin Explosion

A warehouse located in the Binhai New Area development area in Tianjin exploded on the evening of August 12. The inflammable and explosive goods stored in the warehouse triggered an explosion magnitude of 21 tons of TNT.

Witnesses say it was like the end of the world. The explosion shattered and collapsed windows and doors, injuring many citizens. Many bleeding victims flooded into hospitals. The local rail was also destroyed and a car factory 500 meters away from the explosion continued to explode.

China Times reports, the China National Earthquake Networks Center recorded the magnitude of the Tianjin explosion. The local magnitude of the first explosion was 2.3, equivalent to blowing up three tons of TNT. The second explosion, which occurred 30 seconds after the first, was 2.9, equivalent to blowing up 21 tons of explosives.

Witnesses say nearby buildings shook violently and even cracked.

South China Morning Post reports, the fire department of Tianjin says as of 9 am this morning, 36 rescue personnel have lost contact, 33 personnel are being treated in hospitals and two have deceased.

In addition, the chief mortician at Tianjin TEDA Hospital revealed to The Beijing News that the hospital has received 42 bodies from the scene of the explosion, but the news has not been officially confirmed.

Most of the air pollution monitoring sites in Tianjin have detected mild contamination while five sites have detected moderate contamination, including the site near where the explosion occurred. The site detected a PM 2.5 concentration of 123 µg/m3.

CNN anchor Anderson Cooper says reporter Will Ripley was asked to leave by Chinese authorities when covering the Tianjin explosion:

Outside the scene of the explosion. Photo Credit:AP

Citizens of Tianjin gather outside the scene of the explosion. Photo Credit: AP

Translated by June and Olivia Yang
Edited by Olivia Yang

Sources:

• China Times
• CNA
• Apple Daily
• South China Morning Post
• UDN