This picture was taken from our wrap-around roof after the second explosion and gives some perspective as to the massiveness of this event. Part of the first cloud can be seen to the right and the Congo River is right beyond the trees. This mushroom cloud is tens of thousands of feet high. Imagine the power it would take to push matter up that far. There were five or six blasts which were very strong. Each of the first three major blasts were progressively louder and more powerful. The building shook quite hard & swayed with each explosion and the windows rattled and bulged so much I was sure they would break any second. The U.S. Embassy was sending out alerts for all Americans to stay in their quarters until it could be determined what had happened. But, when we felt calm about doing so, we drove to Church with the Staggs, arriving just a couple minutes before start time. Once we felt safe, my heart turned to the loss of life which I knew must surely have accompanied this terrible event. During Church, for the next three hours, we could still hear and feel smaller explosions. Here is a report on the tragedy.
http://m.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/mar/04/congo-brazzaville-arms-depot-explosions?cat=world&type=article
and another article that explains why the we and the Staggs felt the power of these blasts more than most of the rest of Kinshasa....
http://www.africareview.com/News/Panic+in+Kinshasa+over+Brazzaville+blasts/-/979180/1359844/-/dk5cwpz/-/
and another article that explains why the we and the Staggs felt the power of these blasts more than most of the rest of Kinshasa....
http://www.africareview.com/News/Panic+in+Kinshasa+over+Brazzaville+blasts/-/979180/1359844/-/dk5cwpz/-/
