At least 191 people were killed, over 6,500 were injured. Around 40,000 buildings were damaged, leaving more than 300,000 without shelter and at least 70,000 left jobless.
Those with the most urgent needs before and after the explosion are poor Lebanese, migrant workers, and refugee communities.
The explosion aggravated an already dire situation with more than 3.2 million people who are considered in need of humanitarian protection assistance in 2020. (ACAPS)
For background on the governance issues that led to the explosion see:
Lebanon is a divided society characterized by a conflict of political interests. The Beirut blast has worsened the situation. It is a transition period and there is a huge lack of trust in public institutions and the current political elite.
The financial and economic crisis
Businesses are shutting down, with the closure of newspapers and mainstream media houses.
Absence of (public sector) authority and state assistance
GFMD’s partners in Lebanon report that civic initiatives and NGOs are stepping in and filling the failures of the state.
In the long-term, this is not sustainable. However, many civic groups believe that NGOs could contribute to institution building in the right political circumstances.
