Lebanese President Says Int'l Support Needed To Reconstruct Area Damaged By Beirut Blast

Lebanese President Michel Aoun said in his speech to the 75th United Nations General Assembly that his country tremendously needs support of the international community in rebuilding area damaged by the massive blast hit Beirut in Augus

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th September, 2020) Lebanese President Michel Aoun said in his speech to the 75th United Nations General Assembly that his country tremendously needs support of the international community in rebuilding area damaged by the massive blast hit Beirut in August.

"The advanced emergency cell oversees the reconstruction of the partially-affected residential and commercial units, but the big problem is the totally demolished neighborhoods and facilities, and there is a tremendous need for support from the international community to rebuild them. The soundest solution may be to divide the devastated area into geographical zones and let every state that wishes to help commit to a specific zone and undertake its reconstruction directly," Aoun said, as quoted by the Lebanese National News Agency.

According to Aoun, the blast resulted in 200,000 residential units were damaged, leaving 300,000 people homeless ahead of the winter period.

"Material damages are unprecedented: not only is the Port of Beirut, the vital crossing for the economic activity in Lebanon, almost destroyed, but also there are around 200.000 residential units damaged � some of which are uninhabitable - around 300.000 people have lost their homes with winter drawing near, in addition to the tremendous devastation of the infrastructure and the power and water networks," the president said.

Aoun also stated that the blast investigation was referred to the judicial council, the highest penal judicial body in Lebanon, with international technical assistance.

"Lebanon is in the middle of an unprecedented crisis: accumulations have burst all at once, a severe recession due to the economic and financial situation, in addition to the Covid-19 crisis and its repercussions, and finally the Beirut Port disaster that struck its very heart, from a humanitarian and an economic point of view, which made the situation extremely critical," the president continued.

The president added that, according to the World Bank, the current crisis in Lebanon caused a sharp increase in poverty rates, which "were already at 45 percent before the Beirut blast," while the economic loss inflicted by the blast amounted to $3.5 billion and material losses were estimated at about $4.5 billion.

On August 4, a powerful explosion shattered the port and the city, killing 190 people, injuring many others, knocking down or damaging houses and vehicles. In the wake of the accident, many countries and international organizations offered their assistance in dealing with the aftermath of the tragedy.