Lebanon’s struggling economy suffered a new hit because of a series of two blasts in Beirut on the 4th of August. Around 160 people lost their lives in the ferocious mishap, and the injuries count stays on the upper side of 7,000. With 300,000 people living without a roof over their heads, the Lebanese government is under enormous pressure to rebuild their capital city. But Lebanon is now third in the queue of highest lenders from the UN just behind Japan and Greece. Therefore, the Prime Minister of France, Emmanuel Macron, is urging the leaders of the supreme powers in the world to join hands and support Lebanon. Macron’s request was a part of the International Donors’ Conference that he was opening five days after the unfortunate series of events in Beirut.
Lebanese people still feel skeptical about the competency of their government in rebuilding the city. However, it is worth noting that donors pledged $ 298 Million in the French organization’s teleconference. The aid will prove crucial in rebuilding Beirut, which stands on the rubbles of its former glory. An enormous crater now sits at the coastline of the city, which was adorned by its biggest port and main maritime entry into the city five days ago. The port was the epicenter of the blast caused by the fire in a fireworks factory, which triggered the ammonium nitrate storage in the vicinity to produce a blast that was equivalent to almost 1.5 kT of TNT. It is now the biggest explosion in history that does not involve nuclear activity.
Anti-government sentiments are currently high in the country after the blast acting like fuel to the already burning fire of protests in Lebanon since 2019. Moreover, the level of distrust is also evident from the fact that Beirut’s citizens are clearing the city on their own without waiting for the government’s action.
Update:
Almost three weeks after the explosion, Lebanon is trying to cope up with the destruction. There are no official figures about the extent of damage done by the blast. However, the government says that it would cost around $15 billion to make the parts habitable again. Most of the buildings have suffered damage that is not repairable. Moreover, the explosion is still haunting the dreams of the residents of Beirut. The scars of the blast will remain in their mind for long, and we can only pray for their wellness. The darkness after such devastation is more of a mental damage than the monetary. However, for a country as debt-laden as Lebanon, the cost of rehabilitation will be a massive blow. The economy is already suffering from a hit to the devalued currency. The citizens are now clueless about their future, with more than 300,000 people living in the shelters after they lost homes partially or fully.
