Beirut: Rescue teams were still searching the rubble of Beirut's port for bodies on Friday, nearly three days after a massive explosion sent a wave of destruction through Lebanon's capital, killing nearly 150 people and wounding thousands.
At least four more bodies have been recovered in the last 24 hours, and authorities say the death toll has risen to 149.
The blast shredded a large grain silo, devastated neighbourhoods near the port and left several city blocks littered with glass and rubble.
French and Russian rescue teams with dogs were searching the port area on Friday, the day after French President Emmanuel Macron paid a visit to the site, promising aid and vowing to press for reforms by Lebanon's long-entrenched political leaders. The blast was apparently caused by the ignition of 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate, a chemical used for explosives and fertilizer, that had been stored at the port since it was confiscated from an impounded cargo ship in 2013.
The government has launched an investigation as it has come under mounting criticism, with many Lebanese blaming the catastrophe on negligence and corruption.
Search and rescue teams have been sent from several countries to help locate survivors of the blast.
Among those located in the rubble near the grain silo was Joe Akiki, a 23-year-old port worker who had been missing since the explosion.
A team of 55 French rescuers that began work Thursday has found four bodies, according to Col Tissier Vincent, the head of the mission.
Meanwhile, a team of 22 French investigators has started work in Beirut to search for evidence and bodies from Tuesday's deadly explosion and help Lebanese authorities determine what caused it.
Based on information from Lebanon so far, France's No. 2 forensic police official Dominique Abbenanti says the explosion appears to be an accident but that it's too early to say for sure. In an interview, he predicted that the death toll will grow as more bodies are found.