As Beirut mourns its dead and grapples with the scale of rebuilding after this week's massive blast, some Lebanese angered by their government's response planned to demonstrate in the city on Saturday afternoon to criticize the handling of the biggest explosion in Beirut's history. The government has promised to hold those responsible to account.

Some residents, struggling to clean up shattered homes, complain that the government they see as corrupt – there had been months of protests against its handling of a deep economic crisis before this week's disaster – has let them down again.

"We have no trust in our government," said a university student, "I wish the United Nations would take over Lebanon."

The prime minister and presidency have said 2,750 tonnes of highly explosive ammonium nitrate, which is used in making fertilizers and bombs, had been stored for six years without safety measures at the port warehouse.

President Michel Aoun said on Friday an investigation would examine whether the deadly explosion at the port of Beirut was caused by a bomb or other external interference. Aoun said the investigation would also weigh if it was due to negligence or an accident. Twenty people had been detained so far, he added.

The death toll has risen to 158, the Lebanese health ministry media office said on Saturday.

The number of people injured exceeds 6,000 and 21 are still reported missing, it said.

(With input from Reuters)