Huge explosion in the port of Beirut. Europeans mobilize (v11)
(B2) Attention is turned to Lebanon on Tuesday (August 4) after the explosion that took place around 17:10 p.m. (local time) in the port of Beirut
A mega-disaster
A situation that is getting worse every hour
More than a hundred dead (157 at the last report) and more than 5000 injured were counted by the Lebanese Red Cross. A still very provisional assessment, according to the dailyEast The day, which could worsen further in the coming hours. 120 injured are in critical condition. And there are still 60 missing.
Several neighborhoods affected
The gigantic explosion indeed affected not only the port area but the neighboring districts, in particular Mir Mikael and more generally the district of Achrafieh. It was heard for miles around. The origin seems accidental according to European diplomats, due " to[cascade] explosion of chemical stocks containing nitric acid (ammonium nitrate).
Overwhelmed hospitals
Lebanese hospitals already struggling with the Covid-19 epidemic are overwhelmed. The Lebanese Red Cross has opened triage and first aid centers in several places in the capital (Place des Martyrs near the Al Amin mosque and at the Beirut Forum in particular).
A UNIFIL vessel hit
One of the ships of the maritime force of blue helmets was hit by the explosion and several of its occupants were injured announcement the United Nations forces in Lebanon, UNIFIL. This is a Bangladesh Navy corvette, the SNB Bijoy. 19 sailors were injured, some quite seriously according to UNIFIL. Two men in particular are in critical condition, according to the site Defseca.
European embassies damaged
Several embassies of European countries were also affected. The Belgian Embassy suffered " huge damage according to Defense Minister Philippe Goffin. Two officers and two family members were slightly injured by shards of glass. The Dutch embassy was also hit, with five people injured, one of them in very serious condition. The ambassador's wife, Hedwig Waltmans-Molier, also a diplomat, died of her injuries on Saturday (8 August).
German and Austrian representations were also affected. There are wounded among the German personnel. On the Austrian side, it is specified that it is not " not certain at this time that the embassy offices can be used in the coming days ».
European aid that is mobilizing
Copernicus implemented
The emergency response coordination center (aka ERCC, Emergency Response Coordination Centre) quickly implemented the satellite tracking system Copernicus. Objective: draw up a quick map of the situation and help local authorities, indicated Janez Lenarčič, the European commissioner in charge of crisis management. The European Civil Protection Mechanism has been activated.
The European Civil Protection Mechanism triggered
Three countries immediately responded to the Lebanese request — Greece, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic — by sending search and rescue teams. In all, more than a hundred people, specialized in urban search and rescue, with vehicles, dogs and equipment. These three countries (with France) had very quickly indicated their intention to help Lebanon in a concrete way (1), just like thea Poland, Germany, Italy, Cyprus, followed by Austria Finland, Belgium and Romania. The United Kingdom has also answered the call.
Financial assistance
The European Commission has announced that it will mobilize 33 million euros, to which have been added 30 million euros promised during the international conference on aid and support to Beirut and the Lebanese population. A sum which includes resources available under the EU Regional Trust Fund in response to the Syrian crisis and released in June. An 8 million euro contract was signed on Thursday (August 6) to support the Lebanese Red Cross emergency medical services “ in its efforts to improve access to pre-hospital emergency care and blood transfusion services ” indicates the European executive in a communicated.
Strong political support
The President of the European Council Charles Michel announced, via a tweet, traveling to Lebanon on Saturday (August 8), “ to convey Europe's solidarity with the people of Lebanon ". Meetings are planned with President Michel Aoun (Free Patriotic Movement/Maronites), Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri (Amal/Shiites) and President of the Council of Ministers Hassane Diab. " Shocked and saddened, we stand with all those affected and will help them.. “On the spot, he also mentioned” longer-term challenges ": " it is essential that Lebanon implement fundamental structural reforms. The Lebanese can count on the European Union in this effort, but the determining factor lies in national unity » emphasizes the communicated.
An airlift that gets organized
In all, eleven countries of the European Union + the United Kingdom responded to Lebanon's call for direct aid, mobilizing more than 330 rescuers and specialists (medical, risks, etc.).
France: eight military planes + 1 civil plane + 1 hospital ship + 1 freighter + 124 rescuers, investigators and medical staff
On the French side, we did not wait. Two military aircraft (an A400M Atlas and an A330 MRTT Phénix), carrying 55 people from UIISC1, theNogent le Rotrou civil security training and intervention unit no. 1 (50 rescue-clearance specialists and five technological risk experts) took off from Roissy this Wednesday morning (August 5). On board several tons of sanitary equipment. What to ride un advanced medical post to take care of up to 500 wounded.
This follows the intention displayed by the President of the Republic. " French aid and resources are being sent to the site » indicates by tweet Emmanuel Macron from 21 p.m. on Tuesday evening. Another aircraft (a Bombardier Global 6000 chartered by CMA CGM) with on board nine Marseille firefighters (doctors and nurses) from the medical intervention unit in the maritime environment (UMIM) landed in the afternoon in Beirut.
A third military plane, an A400M Atlas carrying a detachment of 60 personnel from the Ministry of the Interior, reinforcements from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Red Cross - investigators to advance in the investigations, research bodies as causes of the accident according to Emmanuel Macron -, took off from Vélizy-Villacoublay (Paris region), Thursday (August 6), with 15 tons of material and equipment. The French president visited Lebanon on Thursday morning (listen to his press conference).
It was followed (Friday, August 7) by a C130J plane which took off from Orleans air base with cargo (11 tons of drugs, as well as a pallet of 10.000 doses of vaccines). This should enable the care of more than 1000 wounded ", Specifies the Quai d'Orsay. A fifth flight, provided by an A310, transported personnel and freight, mainly to take over from UNIFIL. Three other military flights (two A400Ms and a C160 Transall) are scheduled for Saturday August 8 and Sunday August 9, in order to transport in particular 13 tonnes of food products and three tonnes of medicines.
Support is also active on the navy side, the BPC amphibious helicopter carrier PHA Thunder departs Sunday (August 9) from Toulon to normally arrive the following Thursday (August 13) in Beirut. It will make it possible to deploy a field hospital. It will be followed by a freighter chartered by the Ministry of Defence. In total, the armies will have transported 96 tonnes of freight, 130 people and 3 dogs (result as of Sunday August 10 evening).
Greece: 12 rescuers and 1 dog
Also on Wednesday (August 5) morning, a first team of the Greek special unit for the fight against disasters (EMAK), with 2 vehicles, 12 rescuers and a dog, left by an Air Force C-130 plane, indicated Greek civil protection. Athens is ready to send additional aid and medical equipment to Lebanon, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said.
Czech Republic: 36 rescuers and 5 dogs
A Czech rescue team, made up of 36 rescue firefighters and 5 rescue dogs, specializing in searching for disaster victims in the rubble, left on Wednesday (5 August) at 16 p.m., the Minister of Interior, Jan Hamaček.
Netherlands: a plane and 60 rescuers
On Wednesday evening (August 5), it was the turn of the Dutch Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team to fly from Eindhoven airport in a civilian plane to Beirut. On board more than 60 people (firefighters, police, doctors and soldiers), specialized in the search for missing persons. Some 16 tons of heavy equipment with rescue and dogs followed by a C-17 type heavy transport aircraft.
Germany: a ship and a medical reconnaissance unit
Berlin has decided to reassign the corvette Ludwigshafen on the Rhine which depended on UNIFIL for disaster assistance. The ship left Limasol in Cyprus on Thursday morning (August 6) at 7 a.m. local time and is due to be there after a six-hour journey. With its doctor on board, the crew of around 70 personnel is ready to help.
The Bundeswehr's mobile intensive care unit in Cologne/Wahn for the strategic air transport of patients (StratAirMedEvac) has been placed on heightened alert. A Bundeswehr medical reconnaissance team has already departed from Germany with a Global 5000 aircraft. Depending on the result, the mobile hospital could be deployed and operational within 96 hours, indicated the Bundeswehr.
Poland: 45 rescuers + 11 specialists (doctors, experts)
A group of rescuers took off from Warsaw for Beirut on Wednesday (August 5), on board a LOT regular airliner around 23 p.m. On board, a search and rescue group from the fire service (USAR), consisting of 43 rescuers and four dogs, reinforced by six doctors and five experts in biological, radiological and chemical and explosive risks from the Polish Center for the international aid (PCPM Polskiego Centrum Pomocy Międzynarodowej). Group group led by Brigadier Mariusz Feltynowski, who has already led rescue operations during missions after earthquakes in Haiti and Nepal. They arrived at night (3 a.m.) in Beirut, according to the Polish firefighters.
Italy: 14 technological risk specialists + a hospital ship
A team of 14 firefighters specializing in NBCR (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical and Radiological) risks arrived in Beirut on Thursday (6 August). They are headed by the Head of Unit Stefania Fiore. Objective, according to italian civil security : " provide technical support on chemical risks and assess the condition of damaged structures by the explosion.
A plane also took off from the United Nations humanitarian emergency base in Brindisi, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with the Department of Civil Protection, with 8,5 tons of medical equipment made available by Italian cooperation, said Foreign Minister Luigi di Maio on facebook. Finally, a hospital ship should reach Lebanon as well.
Finland: a rescue coordination team
Finland sends a Finnish Rescue, Technical Assistance and Support (TAST) team, trained in international rescue operations. One of the tasks of this team will be to support an international aid coordination team. Material aid is also planned, containing medical supplies and hygiene equipment.
Cyprus: 10 rescuers, two helicopters, two aid planes
The Mediterranean island closest to Lebanon sent a team of ten rescuers and eight search dogs on Thursday (August 5) aboard two police helicopters from Larnaca airport. Teams integrated into the Greek EMAK team. Supplies of medical, food and logistical aid were also conveyed on board a Cyprus Airlines Airbus A319, the first flight on Thursday (August 6), the second on Friday (August 7).
Austria: a relief coordinator
An officer experienced in international disaster relief operations, Captain Gernot Hirschmugl, left Thursday (August 6) to reinforce the UN coordination team (composed of 12 people), reports the Austrian Ministry of Defense.Austrian Force Disaster Relief Unit (AFDRU), a specialized unit of the army, was put on alert.
Belgium: a C130 with help, but no BFast team
Romania: a material plane
About eight tons of medical equipment took off on Saturday (August 8) from the 90th Transport Air Base aboard two air force planes (a C-130 Hercules and a C-27J Spartan).
United Kingdom: one ship
London sends the ship HMS Enterprise currently moored not far from Lebanon, in Limassol (Cyprus). Goal : " assist with the work of inspecting the port of Beirut, assessing the damage and helping to rebuild this vital structure " according to terms of Defense Minister Ben Wallace. A small team of soldiers has also been deployed to the embassy. to help identify beesanoint and coordinate all support measures for the Lebanese Armed Forces (adequate medical support, military airlift assistance, and engineering and communications capabilities).
(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)
On-site emergency coordination
The distribution of relief on the spot is coordinated under the aegis of the UN. Different sectors have been allocated to the research teams already operational: A for the Dutch, B for the Qataris, C for the Greeks, F for the French (alongside the Russians who are in charge of sector G), I for the Czechs.
- See communicated from the Greek Foreign Ministry, tweets from the Czech Minister of the Interior, Jan Hamáček and the Dutch Minister development cooperation Sigrid Kraag.
Updated Wednesday 13 p.m. and 20 p.m., Thursday 19 p.m., Friday 12-13 p.m. and 16 p.m., Saturday 13 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m., with elements of the European Civil Protection Mechanism (v2), details of French (v2), Dutch and Czech ( v3), Greek and German (v4), additional French aid (v5), Polish, Finnish and Italian (v6), Cypriot and British aid, Charles Michel's announcement of his trip to Beirut (v7), the potential Belgian aid and box on the relief map (v8), details of Belgian and Romanian aid (v9), additional French aid (v10), European aid and Michel's displacement (v11).
