Beirut explosion leaves city short of bread and wheat

The country’s main hub for international trade lies in ruins with wheat stocks to now be redirected to a reduced-capacity Tripoli port

Damaged cars are pictured in front of billowing smoke behind the grain silos at the port of Beirut. AFP

A drone picture shows smoke from the scene of an explosion at the seaport of Beirut. AP Photo

Lebanon's President Michel Aoun wears a protective face mask as he visits the scene of Tuesday's explosion in Beirut. AFP

An emergency command vehicle of the Lebanese Red Cross is pictured in the aftermath of yesterday's blast. AFP

A man inspects the damage of yesterday's blast. AFP

A survivor is taken out of the rubble after a massive explosion in Beirut. AP Photo

A damaged hospital is seen after a massive explosion in Beirut. AP Photo

Lebanese soldiers search for survivors after a massive explosion in Beirut.AP Photo

An ambulance drives near the site of Tuesday's blast in Beirut's port area. Reuters

Lebanese national flags fly at half-mast outside the presidential palace in Baabda, following Tuesday's blast in Beirut's port area. Reuters

A woman is evacuated from the partially destroyed Beirut neighbourhood of Mar Mikhael. AFP

An injured man sits next to a restaurant in the trendy partially destroyed Beirut neighbourhood of Mar Mikhael. AFP

A man walks past damaged building and vehicles near the site of Tuesday's blast in Beirut's port area. Reuters

A man wearing a protective face mask walks past damaged buildings and vehicles near the site of Tuesday's blast in Beirut's port area. Reuters

A woman sweeps at a damaged hospital following Tuesday's blast, in Beirut. Reuters

A man wearing a face mask moves a gurney at a damaged hospital following Tuesday's blast in Beirut. Reuters

The wreckage of a ship is seen following yesterday's blast at the port of Lebanon's capital Beirut. AFP

A view shows the aftermath at the site of Tuesday's blast in Beirut's port area. Reuters

Lebanese soldiers and people gather outside American University of Beirut medical centre following the explosion in Beirut. Reuters

An injured man sits outside American University of Beirut medical centre following an explosion in Beirut. Reuters

The explosion caused damage to Lebanon's PM Hassan Diab's office

The damage at Lebanon's PM Hassan Diab's office following the blast.

Pictures of the damage at Lebanon's PM Hassan Diab's office

People gather outside American University of Beirut medical centre following the explosion in Beirut. Reuters

Lebanese soldiers stand outside American University of Beirut medical centre following the explosion in Beirut. Reuters

Damaged vehicle and buildings near the scene of Tuesday's blast in Beirut's port area. Reuters

A man walks by an overturned car and destroyed buildings. Getty Images

A view shows the damaged facade of a building following Tuesday's blast in Beirut's port area. Reuters

A view shows the aftermath of yesterday's blast at the port of Beirut. AFP

A man pushes a buggy with a child on Wednesday past a damaged vehicle near the scene of overnight blast in Beirut's port area. Reuters

In this drone picture, the destroyed silo sits in rubble and debris. AP Photo

People inspect the damage near the scene of Tuesday's blast in Beirut's port area. Reuters

People inspect the scene of Tuesday's blast in Beirut's port area. Reuters

Shattered glass lies in front of a building following a blast in the Lebanese capital Beirut. AFP

Lebanese army troops carry a wounded man evacuated from a ship at Beirut's port. AFP

This picture shows damage at Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport. Courtesy Lebanese Plane Spotters / Facebook

The day after two explosions ripped through the Lebanese capital, stunned residents struggled to find daily necessities in a city strewn with broken glass and other debris.  

With smoke still rising from the portside wreckage of the blast site, there were long queues at ATM machines and sparsely stocked bakeries as panic buyers flocked to stores in fear of a bread or wheat shortage. 

Bread lines are already a common sight in Lebanon, as the country suffers a severe economic crisis. 

Imports have become prohibitively expensive, forcing the central bank to dip into its reserves to subsidise items such as wheat, fuel and medicine.

The incident – a huge ammonium nitrate explosion sparked by an as yet unknown cause – destroyed the nation's main wheat silo and left Beirut port largely unusable.

The Tripoli port in north Lebanon will now serve as the country's main shipping centre after the incident, with wheat a critical key priority – the country has grain reserves for only "a bit less than a month", according to Economy Minister Raoul Nehme.

Paul Boulos, owner of Sea Slim bakeries – which has three branches in Beirut – said that his bakeries were not damaged in the explosion and were open.

But he was not sure what affect the loss of wheat stores would have on his business. "Of course I have to open, we have to work and live," he told The National. 

“They say that the wheat containers have exploded ... I bought wheat this morning with no problems but I need one to two tonnes a day. Will there be wheat, will there be no wheat? No idea.” 

With all the glass shattered at the bakery that supplies his shops, he said it would cost him $10,000 (Dh36,729) to make the necessary repairs. 

Lebanon relies on privately owned mills to import wheat from Ukraine, Russia and other European countries.

The government used to buy wheat from local farmers at above-market prices but has not done so in years.

Mr Nehme said that to be food secure, the country needs nearly three months of supply, but that the government had the crisis in hand. 

“There is no bread or flour crisis,” the minister said. “We have enough inventory and boats on their way to cover the needs of Lebanon in the long term. We are currently looking for storage areas."

Other business owners suffered a more direct blow to business. Simon Douaihy, who owns a 70-year-old  sweet shop is the Sassine neighbourhood, said it would take two to three months to replace the broken glass in its shattered facade. 

“Everybody in the country needs glass now,” he said.