In pics: Massive explosion hits Beirut, world reacts with shock

Initially, video taken by residents showed a fire raging at the port, sending up a giant column of smoke, illuminated by flashes of what appeared to be fireworks

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On Tuesday, Beirut witnessed a massive explosion, flattening much of the city's port, damaging buildings across the capital and sending a giant mushroom cloud into the sky.

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More than 100 people were killed and 3,000 injured, with bodies buried in the rubble, officials said.

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The blast struck with the force of a 3.5 magnitude earthquake, according to Germany's geosciences center GFZ, and it was heard and felt as far away as Cyprus more than 200 kilometers (180 miles) across the Mediterranean.

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For hours afterwards, ambulances rushing in from around Lebanon carried away the wounded. Hospitals quickly filled beyond capacity, pleading for blood supplies, and generators to keep their lights on.

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Abbas Ibrahim, chief of Lebanese General Security, said the blast might have been caused by highly explosive material that was confiscated from a ship some time ago and stored at the port.

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The explosion came amid ongoing tensions between Israel and the Hezbollah military group on Lebanon's southern border. Many residents reported overhearing planes just before the blast, fueling rumors of an attack, though Israeli military overflights are common.

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Beirut's governor, Marwan Abboud, broke into tears as he toured the site, exclaiming, Beirut is a devastated city. Prime Minister Hassan Diab vowed that those responsible will pay.