He said this was confirmed by the Malaysian embassy in Beirut in its initial report.

At around midnight Malaysian time on Tuesday, the Lebanese capital witnessed a fire followed by a massive blast at a warehouse at its port, where explosive material was believed to have been stored.

The blast triggered widespread destruction across the city and left at least 70 people dead and more than 3,000 injured.

Hishammuddin said the embassy advised Malaysians residing in the country to remain indoors.

“Malaysia stands together in grief as our thoughts and prayers accompany the strong people of Lebanon. We stand ready to support in any way we can,” he said in his latest Twitter post.

Lebanon president Michel Aoun is reported to have declared a three-day mourning period.