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Mayor of the Lebanese capital of Beirut, Marwan Abboud, appeared in tears while addressing reporters a few hours after a massive explosion rocked the city on Tuesday evening, Morocco World News reported. 

The news coverage took place near the site of the explosion.

The explosion “is similar to what happened in Japan, in Hiroshima and Nagasaki,” said Abboud, adding that he had never seen an explosion of such size.

“I’ve never seen such a big destruction. This is a national calamity, this is a disaster for Lebanon.”

“We need to remain strong, we need to hold on and be brave … but this is too much …,” said Abboud with tears in his eyes.

The death toll from the blast at Beirut's port has risen to at least 100 with over 4,000 wounded.

The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear. Officials linked the explosion to some 2,700 tonnes of confiscated ammonium nitrate that were being stored in a warehouse at the port for six years.