Damages From Beirut Port Blast Expected to Reach $15 Billion, Lebanese President Says

BEIRUT (Sputnik) - The cost of the damage resulting from the massive blast at the Beirut port on August 4 is expected to reach $15 billion, Lebanese President Michel Aoun said during a phone call with Spain’s King Felipe VI on Wednesday.

The Spanish monarch called Aoun to offer his condolences and express his solidarity with the Lebanese people, according to a press release published on the presidential website.

"President Aoun emphasized that, according to preliminary estimates, the damage caused by the explosion amounts to $15 billion", the press release read.

The president gave his thanks to Felipe VI for the assistance provided by Spain over recent days and for Madrid’s participation in this past Sunday's international videoconference on the topic of providing relief to Lebanon.

The powerful blast, which has been blamed on the improper storage of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate at the port, killed over 170 people and left thousands more with injuries.

Multiple governments and international organisations have already sent medical aid and other assistance to Lebanon in the days following the explosion.