Major explosions in the Chinese city of Tianjin on Wednesday evening has grabbed the world's attention for the past couple of days as news of its cause, casualties, and possible government negligence continues to unfold.
On Wednesday evening, Tianjin, a port city 72 miles southeast of Beijing, was rocked by thunderous explosions. CNN, citing Chinese officials, says one of the Tianjin explosions "was the equivalent of more than 20 tons of TNT."
So far, over 50 people have died as a result of the Tianjin explosions, with over 700 reported injured according to an updated Guardian report. CNN reported that about 6,000 residents near the Tianjin explosions have been displaced. An unknown number of people are still missing since the Tianjin blasts.
"Government officials, acutely aware of concerns over the fire, have sought to suppress unauthorized information," another New York Times article read.
One piece of information on the Tianjin explosions that has been exposed recently is that the chemical warehouse's location defied Chinese regulations for hazardous sites. The nearest residential apartment building to the warehouse was 2,000 feet away, while Chinese regulations specify that residential buildings shouldn't be built less than 3,200 feet away from hazardous areas.
People near the Tianjin blast site have begun to relocate from the area due to health and contamination concerns.
[Photo by ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images]
