One year after the explosion disaster - Beirut and Lebanon between crisis and reconstruction
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On 4 August 2020, 2750 tons of ammonium nitrate exploded in the port of Beirut. A huge shock wave hit large parts of the city. Pictures of the destruction went around the world. More than 200 people lost their lives, over 6000 were injured. Hundreds of thousands had to leave their destroyed or collapsed houses. One year later, reconstruction is in full swing. KfW is also stepping up its commitment with funds from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
Sascha Stadtler, head of KfW's Beirut office, reports: "The situation of many people suddenly deteriorated once again on 4 August. Even before the explosion, Lebanon faced enormous challenges. The country was in the middle of one of the worst economic and financial crises of the last 150 years. Unemployment and national debt were crushingly high. In addition, more than one million refugees had sought shelter from the Syrian civil war in Lebanon since 2015. A challenge for the often dilapidated infrastructure in the small country. "With the explosion, entire neighbourhoods were suddenly in ruins," recalls Stadtler. "Schools, hospitals - the huge blast wave damaged buildings, streets and bridges even far away."