레바논 폭발참사 사망 135명•부상 5천명으로 늘어<br /><br /> A day after the massive explosion shook Lebanon's capital of Beirut,... the death toll in the city has risen to 135... with five thousand others wounded.<br />Authorities say the death toll is almost certain to rise further as search operations continue and the number of missing remains unknown.<br />U.S. President Donald again suggested that the explosion could have been more than just a tragic accident.<br />Kim Hyo-sun reports. <br /> The death toll from the massive explosion in Beirut has jumped to 135, with nearly 5-thousand wounded and dozens still missing, as of Wednesday local time. <br />That's according to Lebanon's health minister, but officials say they expect the number to climb even further as emergency workers dig through the rubble to search for survivors. <br />The country's cabinet declared a two-week state of emergency in Beirut, with its president calling for unity. <br />"There are no words to describe the catastrophe that hit Beirut yesterday evening which has transformed it into a stricken city. It is time to grief for our martyrs, our injured and our missing. The shock has overwhelmed the spirits of all the Lebanese people that I call today to unite and bond together.”<br /> Ammonium nitrate stored at a warehouse in the Beirut port has emerged as the possible spark that caused the catastrophic blast. <br />It's still not clear what exactly led to the ignition, but many point to the 27-hundred metric tons of the unsecured and volatile chemical compound. <br />The Lebanese government has launched an investigation into the blast,... saying it will not rest until it finds those responsible. <br /> Against such a backdrop, the international community is sending words of comfort, with the UN stepping up to enhance emergency assistance to Lebanon.<br />South Korean President Moon Jae-in extended condolences to the victims,... while U.S. President Donald Trump also sent words of comfort calling the explosion as something that (quote) "looks like a terrible attack."<br /> Leaders of other countries, including China, Britain and France, also expressed their condolences,... adding they stand ready to lend a helping hand. <br />Kim Hyo-sun, Arirang News. <br />
