Beirut Explosion: Getting Aid To Lebanon Extremely Challenging, Says World Vision
Aid Organization World Vision on Thursday said the explosion at Beirut Port earlier this week "severely impacts" their work. World Vision is a Christian aid organization providing aid to many in Lebanon including those affected by the economic crisis and the pandemic. It also provides aid to Syrian refugees. Hans Bederski, the Lebanon National Director for the organization, said in an interview with Associated Press that once their stock on non-perishable goods runs out, it will be "extremely challenging" to get new stock because of the shutdown of the city's main port. The blast appeared to have been triggered by a fire that touched off a cargo of ammonium nitrate that had been stored at the port for years, though it was unclear what sparked the fire. Hitting with the force of an earthquake, it was the most powerful explosion ever seen in the city, which was split in half by the 1975-1990 civil war and has endured conflicts with neighboring Israel and periodic bombings and terror attacks. The explosion killed 135 people and injured over 4,000 people. The organization has now redirected its efforts to help those impacted by the blast. Bederski said there are about 300,000 thousand families who would need assistance. Much of the city of the city's buildings suffered damage including broken windows making many of the apartments inhabitable. He estimated it would cost 2-3 thousand dollars per household to make these repairs. This would need to be done before winter starts, giving Lebanon only a few months. Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2TwO8Gm QUICKTAKE ON SOCIAL: Follow QuickTake on Twitter: twitter.com/quicktake Like QuickTake on Facebook: facebook.com/quicktake Follow QuickTake on Instagram: instagram.com/quicktake Subscribe to our newsletter: https://bit.ly/2FJ0oQZ Email us at [email protected] QuickTake by Bloomberg is a global news network delivering up-to-the-minute analysis on the biggest news, trends and ideas for a new generation of leaders.
