Beirut explosion: Lebanon’s army surveys 85,000 damaged building units

Lebanon’s army said Saturday it has carried out a survey of more than 85,000 dwellings, businesses and other building units damaged by the massive Beirut port blast last month.

The August 4 explosion of hundreds of tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored at Beirut port killed more than 190 people, wounded thousands and ravaged large parts of the capital.

“A total of 85,744 affected units have been surveyed,” the army said.

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It had surveyed 60,818 housing units, 19,115 businesses, 1,137 heritage units, 962 restaurants, 82 teaching institutions and 12 hospitals, among other units.

It recorded almost 550,000 square meters (half a square kilometer) of glass ravaged, and well as 140,000 square meters of glass facades broken.

More than 108,000 doors had been damaged, the survey showed.

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The army said it was still looking for nine people - three Lebanese, five Syrians and an Egyptian - still missing after the blast.

The survey “is considered to be sufficient, and there is therefore no need for further surveys by donor countries,” it said in a statement.

The army said the donors, non-governmental organizations or volunteers could request access to the results.

On August 9, international donors pledged over 250 million euros (around $300 million) in emergency aid, in a video conference jointly organized by France and the United Nations.

French President Emmanuel Macron vowed in early September during a second visit to Lebanon since the blast to host a second conference in Paris in the second half of October.