Deadly explosion strikes Beirut

ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION)

A powerful explosion struck southern Beirut on Thursday, a stronghold of the Shi'ite group Hezbollah, killing at least two people and sending a column of smoke into the sky, a witness said.

Emergency crews and hundreds of local citizens could be seen surrounding the site, putting out flames and sifting through the wreckage.

The Lebanese capital has been hit by a series of bombs in recent months, including one last week which killed a former minister and political adversary of Hezbollah.