Written By: Ritika Putta and Sravika Pillarisetty
Windows shattered from a mile away. Buildings crumbled. Heard from neighboring countries. Lebanese officials said, “ the explosion… killed at least 220 people, injured more than 5,000 and left an estimated 300,000 people homeless” (Guglielmi). The Beirut explosion was a devastating explosion that destroyed one of the two main ports Lebanon has. The country has already been battling an extreme economic recession, and on top of that, the COVID-19 global pandemic. Lebanon is struggling to get basic necessities such as food and medical supplies because their port has been demolished. The Beirut explosion has caused massive impacts all over Lebanon, left world leaders speechless, and are struggling to piece their country back together.
With such a massive explosion, what caused it? Hassan Diab, Lebanon’s Prime Minister stated, “the detonation on 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate that he said had been stored unsafely at a warehouse in the port” (BBC). Ammonium nitrate was confiscated on a ship a few years ago and was stored in a warehouse to be later disposed of. If this chemical is left alone for a few years, it will start to decay and it will turn into a rock-like structure, which makes it more dangerous than it already is. Usually, ammonium nitrate is either re-sold and re-exported, or disposed of safely. In fact, the Lebanese government was told repeatedly by the director-general of Lebanese Customs, Badri Daher, to remove the ammonium nitrate for safety reasons, and the requests were ignored (BBC).
The explosion left the city in shambles. There was pure destruction within a mile of the explosion; debris is the only thing that could be seen within a mile radius. Citizens’ windows were shattered up to 15 miles away from the blast site. Anyone that lived between 3.5 miles radius from the Beirut port was heavily affected; many were injured, some were dead. The blast could be heard by neighboring countries and sent seismic waves near them. One of Lebanon’s main ports, the Beirut port, is completely destroyed. This leaves the city at a disadvantage since they cannot receive or export any goods, and any supplies by the port were destroyed as well.
As Lebanon was in the midst of recovery, two days after, citizens made their decisions to protest. The people of Lebanon have gathered together and protested peacefully blaming the Lebanese government for the explosion. Citizens demanded he resign and take responsibility. BBC writes, “Prime Minister Diab described the circumstances that led to the explosion as ‘unacceptable’ but offered his government's resignation six days later. However, he avoided taking responsibility for the blast and instead blamed the country's entrenched political elite” (BBC). Citizens are still furious as nothing, except time and patience can fix the state of Lebanon, nor bring back the lives that were lost that day.
Trembling from the aftershocks of the explosion, people from all over the world are questioning if the explosion was due to ammonium nitrate stored at the port. Global leaders all over the world have been quick to state their interpretation of the real cause. Donald Trump, the president of the United States, at first claimed that the cause was a fireworks factory; however, he quickly corrected his previous statement and concluded the explosion was “an attack” with a “bomb of some kind.” However, both Lebanon and defense officials have denied this claim. Conspiracy theories have surfaced across the internet blaming both the United States and Israel for the explosion. The United States has not responded to these claims and have released an official statement: “The United States has already pledged more than $17 million in initial disaster aid for Lebanon, which includes food assistance and medical supplies.” The Israeli government has also offered humanitarian assistance to Lebanon; however, this act of humanity will not repair the growing tensions and severed bonds between Lebanon and Israel. While the Israeli government expresses their deepest condolences, others seem content: “Former Israeli Member of the Knesset Moshe Feiglin gleefully hailed yesterday’s devastating explosion in Beirut as a “gift” from God in time for the Jewish festival Tu B’Av”(Middle Eastern Monitor).
Other world leaders such as Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, expressed their emotions and condolences through social media. The President stated, “Russia shares the grief of the Lebanese people...I ask you to convey words of sympathy and support to the families and friends of the victims, as well as wishes for a speedy recovery to all affected.” Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, took these words to his social media platform: “we think of all those who were injured in this tragic explosion, as well as those who are trying to find a friend or family member or who have lost a loved one. We're ready to help you." Many others have also shared their shock and conveyed sympathy, as nothing could bring back the damage that has marked Lebanon and the lives that were lost.
Poverty hit Lebanon like a train after the explosion, leaving no stone unturned; Lebanon’s Economy Minister Raoul Nehme told CNBC, “There is not one apartment in Beirut that wasn't impacted, not one [business] that wasn't impacted — whether the storefront [or] the goods.” Furthermore, a staggering 45 percent of the Lebanon population-about 1.7 million- is at risk of sinking into poverty (Rescue). Already struggling from a year of economic crisis, Lebanon’s public has taken it upon itself to help their country. Hospitals are working overtime to heal the victims.
Lebanese hospitals are struggling to stay afloat, drowning in financial burden, shortage of medical equipment, and power shortages. Private hospitals, the prestige of Lebanon, are warning the public of closing their doors. With Lebanon’s state insurance in debt of 1.3 million dollars to the private hospitals, there seems to be no hope for the medical system. But, don’t spiral into despair just yet, what if public hospitals were Lebanon’s saving grace? However, public hospitals have received the short end of the stick and are expected to close soon with hundreds of staff being let go. To save money for fuel and make amends to the hospital’s infrastructure, salaries have been reduced significantly. Three hospitals have been shut down and have had to redirect their patients to other public hospitals that are maxed out far above their capacity.
In addition to battling financial concerns, Lebanon’s hospitals must also juggle fighting the COVID-19 pandemic with already more than 5,000 confirmed cases and about 65 related deaths according to Independent. Hospitals are not doing so well with one problem coming in after another. “Lebanon’s ability to fight the coronavirus pandemic has been decreased by a sixth,” declared St. George’s chief medical officer, Alexandre Nehme (Independent). St. George has been the country’s main COVID-19 treatment facility. Firas Abiad, director-general of a Lebanese public hospital, Rafik Hariri University Hospital, states: “We can’t fight COVID and at the same time keep looking behind our backs to see whether I have enough financial and material resources.”
The corruption among Lebanon’s government is well-known however hospitals took a leap of faith and looked up to the government for a recovery plan. A plan to stop this catastrophic madness. However, the government seems to be scratching its head in confusion as the entire cabinet resigned as if they were throwing their hands up and saying “Oh well.” A member of Lebanon’s Parliament, Paula Yacoubian, who recently resigned admitted that even when the government was in full control, it did not take care of its citizens, leaving much of the responsibility to civil-society groups and international donors (New York Times).
All hope seems to be lost. A fallen government. Failing medical system. Looming threat of poverty. The Beirut explosion has left quite an impression on Lebanon. Many families are broken, and no amount of financial aid can recover their beloved. However, Lebanon will grow, change and recover. Healing takes time and patience. Let us all put our hands together and pray for Lebanon’s farewell. Donate to nonprofit organizations committed to aiding Lebanon. The Beirut explosion will not be the end of Lebanon.
Works Cited
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Brito, Christopher. “‘There's Nothing Left’: Beirut Doctors Say Hospitals Were so Damaged by Explosion, They Had to Turn Away Patients.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 9 Aug. 2020, www.cbsnews.com/news/beirut-explosion-hospitals-damaged-lebanon-patients-turned-away/.
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“What Do People in Beirut Need after the Explosion?” International Rescue Committee (IRC), 14 Aug. 2020, www.rescue.org/article/what-do-people-beirut-need-after-explosion.
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