Beirut explosion: Death toll rises to 135

Beirut’s residents are in shock and mourning after an enormous explosion at the city’s port ripped through the Lebanese capital, killing at least 135 people, injuring more than 5,000 and displacing some 300,000, according to emergency services.

Hospitals are overwhelmed, with some too damaged by the blast to operate.

Lebanon's cabinet declared a two-week state of emergency in the capital city and handed control of security in the capital to the military following the massive explosion in Beirut.

The explosion on Tuesday sent shockwaves across the city, causing widespread damage as far as the outskirts of Beirut.

Officials said they expect the death toll to rise further as emergency workers dig through the rubble to search for survivors.

Beirut's city governor Marwan Abboud said up to 300,000 people have lost their homes and authorities are working on providing them with food, water and shelter.

The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear. Officials linked the blast to some 2,750 tonnes of confiscated ammonium nitrate that were being stored in a warehouse at the port for six years.