Death toll of Beirut blast rises to 177
The death toll from last week’s massive explosion at Beirut port has risen to 177, reported Anadolu Agency, quoting Lebanese Health Minister Hassan Hamad on Thursday.
Noting that there were 30 people missing after the deadly blast in the capital, Hamad told a local TV channel that the number of fatalities could reach up to 200...
The death toll from last week’s massive explosion at Beirut port has risen to 177, reported Anadolu Agency, quoting Lebanese Health Minister Hassan Hamad on Thursday.
Noting that there were 30 people still missing after the deadly blast in the capital, Hamad told a local TV channel that the number of fatalities could reach up to 200.
The army in a statement said foreign diplomats were informed about the distribution mechanism of aid following the incident.
Information about how the aid received by Lebanon will reach those who suffered from the explosion has also been shared with diplomats, it added.
The statement said the needs of health centres and hospitals will be determined before the distribution of medical aid.
The medical aid will be distributed in line with the coordination between the Health Ministry and Defence Ministry, while food aid will be dispersed in cooperation with the military and NGOs, it said.
It is noteworthy that the army shared the mechanism of transparently distributing aid received by Lebanon with foreign diplomats following corruption accusations against its rulers by social media activists and demonstrators who organised protests in Beirut.
The powerful explosion rocked Beirut on Aug 4 after a neglected stockpile of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse ignited.
The blast wave flattened nearby buildings and caused extensive material damage in the capital, leaving hundreds of thousands of people homeless.
It came at a time when Lebanon was dealing with a severe financial crisis along with the coronavirus pandemic.
Violent demonstrations continue despite the resignation of Prime Minister Hassan Diab and his government.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun said Wednesday that property damage from the explosion could cost more than US$15 billion (RM63 billion), according to the official Lebanese News Agency.
- Bernama
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