Beirut Explosion: From Rubble to Recovery

Volunteers with the Lebanese Red Cross stand near trucks, ready to help

1 of 8

Volunteers from the Lebanese Red Cross stand next to the Red Cross' vehicles parked inside a parking lot in the Martyrs' Square in downtown Beirut, Lebanon. Dalia Khamissy/British Red Cross.

Man walks past part of the explosion site in Beirut

2 of 8

A man walks past part of the explosion site at Beirut's port, Lebanon, earlier this week. Dalia Khamissy/British Red Cross

Lebanese Red Cross workers are helping around the clock

3 of 8

Lebanese Red Cross emergency workers are working around the clock to provide direct relief. Agence France-Presse.

Man receives help from Lebanese Red Cross

4 of 8

The capital city of Lebanon, Beirut, has been devastated by an enormous explosion on August 4. Reports say more than 100 people have been killed and 4,000 are injured. Many are still missing. Nassif Haber Photo.

5 of 8

A volunteer from the Lebanese Red Cross enters one of the Red Cross' tents that set up after the Beirut explosion inside a parking lot in the Martyrs' Square in downtown Beirut, Lebanon. Dalia Khamissy/British Red Cross.

Lebanese Red Cross workers search for survivors

6 of 8

The Lebanese Red Cross continues to search for survivors amid the rubble. Agence France-Presse.

7 of 8

Red Cross teams on the ground have been evacuating patients from collapsed hospitals and initiating emergency blood transfusions, while distributing food, water, hygiene kits, mattresses, masks, gloves and other essential relief items to survivors.

8 of 8

The Lebanese Red Cross has deployed Emergency Medical Teams and its country-wide fleet of 125 ambulances to the site of the explosion, rescuing the injured.

Two months ago, enormous blasts in Lebanon shook the capital of Beirut. The impact was intense, rippling through several areas of the capital and could be heard 149 miles away on the island of Cyprus. According to the Government of Lebanon, the explosion was due to large amounts of ammonium nitrate being stored in warehouses. Today, there is still significant damage to the city’s infrastructure, affecting homes and businesses, leaving some still homeless and without a way to make a living. The explosion has exacerbated COVID-19 complications already felt by the Lebanese population.

Immediately after the explosion, the Lebanese Red Cross responded to urgent lifesaving needs on the ground. Teams rescued and provided first aid to wounded persons and lifesaving blood. They distributed food, water, masks and other essentials to more than 80,000 people. To meet emotional support needs, trained team members provided crisis counseling to over 5,700 people.

Today, the focus has shifted from saving lives to helping people who were affected recover. The Lebanese Red Cross visited as many as 27,000 affected families to better understand their needs. According to one mother, “What we need most is assistance to work, build and restore. This is what we want. Sadly, I do not have the financial means to restore the house.” Many people have lost so much including damage to their homes and loss of all essentials and personal items.

Currently, the Lebanese Red Cross has provided cash grants to more than 1,200 families so people can choose how to meet their unique needs. Care packages are being assembled and distributed and medications and other essentials are being purchased and sent to those in need. As with all Red Cross aid, all relief by the Lebanese Red Cross was provided to people in need, free of charge.

The American Red Cross has contributed over $764,000 to support the needs of people impacted by the blasts in Lebanon. The funds have helped the global Red Cross and Red Crescent network to meet the urgent needs of the most vulnerable affected by the explosion.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.