Signs of life under Beirut rubble a month after explosion

Rescuers have detected what they believe may be a human heartbeat under a destroyed building, a month after the deadly Beirut explosion.

The fatal blast on the 4th of August left at least 190 people dead, 6,000 injured and 300,000 homeless.

Hopes were raised that there may be another survivor under the rubble, after a sniffer dog detected something under a collapsed building (that had already been searched) in the Gemmayze district, one of the worst hit neighbourhoods.

State news agency NNA reported that special audio equipment used by Chilean rescuers then picked up a possible heartbeat of 18-19 beats per minute. Thermal imaging also taken under the wreckage showed two bodies, a larger one and a smaller one.

"These (signs of breathing and pulse) along with the temperature sensor means there is a possibility of life," rescuer Edward Bitar told reporters at the scene.

Tag teams of rescuers, climbers, firefighters and civil defence are working round the clock to investigate.

“Ninety-nine percent there isn’t anything, but even if there is less than 1 percent hope, we should keep on looking,” civil defense worker, Youssef Malah told local media, adding that the work was extremely sensitive.

It is recalled the Greek Navy’s gunship ‘IKARIA’ will depart from the island of Salamina on Friday, September 11, to Lebanon carrying food, medicine, medical supplies and construction materials.

The announcement was made by Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy, Costas Frangogiannis, who also appealed to all Greek businessmen and individuals to assist in this important project.