Tens of thousands of people in Beirut are unable to rebuild their homes one month on from the devastating blast that damaged large swathes of the city, with many unable to afford to replace a front door, Oxfam has warned.
The homes and business of hundreds of thousands of residents of the Lebanese capital were damaged severely when thousands of tonnes of ammonium nitrate fertiliser, left in a dockside warehouse, exploded on August 4.
The UK-based charity said the cost of replacing one broken window was greater than the minimum wage in Lebanon of just under $450 (Dh1,652) per month.
Oxfam’s policy lead in Lebanon, Bachir Ayoub, said: “Huge inflation has meant the cost of basic materials needed to rebuild homes and businesses is out of reach for thousands of people who were struggling to get by even before the blast.”
“These families need urgent assistance to recover from this disaster and rebuild their lives,” he added. “Many people are unable to put food on the table, let alone repair their houses.”
An estimated 50 per cent of the city’s population was living under the poverty line before the blast, Oxfam said.
The blast created a humanitarian crisis which many blamed on the corruption and negligence of the Lebanese government.
