Australia's "hearts go out to Lebanon": Scott Morrison

Morrison added that "our hearts go out to all of those in Lebanon and in Beirut in particular at the moment," and added that the Australian embassy had be significantly impacted.

The powerful blast in port warehouses near central Beirut storing highly explosive material killed 78 people, injured nearly 4,000 and sent seismic shockwaves that shattered windows, smashed masonry and shook the ground across the Lebanese capital.

Officials said they expected the death toll to rise further after Tuesday's blast as emergency workers dug through rubble to rescue people and remove the dead. It was the most powerful explosion in years in Beirut, which is already reeling from an economic crisis and a surge in coronavirus infections.