The Public Relations Department of the Beirut Municipality reported that the Governor of Beirut, Marwan Aboud, issued a statement concerning the collapse of part of the Beirut River wall. The statement noted: "Following the storm and the collapse of large amounts of rainwater, a segment of the Beirut River wall, built in the 1970s, collapsed on the western side of the river for approximately 40 meters, near the President Emile Lahoud Highway towards the Bouchrieh Bridge area. It has been determined that the collapse of this section of the river wall could pose a risk to the stability of the eastern lane of the highway, especially if the water level in the river rises and soil erosion occurs due to heavy rainfall."
The statement added: "This wall is part of the public river property belonging to the Ministry of Energy and Water, and it falls outside the execution authority of the Beirut Municipality. Furthermore, the highway was executed by the Council for Development and Reconstruction for the benefit of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport in 1997-1998."
The statement highlighted that "in the interest of public safety and traffic safety on the President Emile Lahoud Highway, the Beirut Municipality announces that it has taken the following immediate measures: First, the Beirut Police will take immediate action to prevent vehicles from using the eastern lane of the highway (toward Baabda - Bourj Hammoud). This is to relieve pressure on the collapsed wall area until repair works are completed. Second, directives have been issued to the engineering unit of the Beirut Municipality to propose necessary preventive measures to reinforce and repair the collapsed wall and ensure the safety of the highway and the wall above it in collaboration with the Council for Development and Reconstruction and the relevant ministries."
It clarified that "these measures are part of a rapid and organized response to address the emergency situation, while maintaining the safety of public facilities, citizens, and traffic on this vital highway. The Governor of Beirut has also prepared correspondence to be sent to the Council of Ministers via the Minister of Interior, as the matter involves multiple ministries, particularly the Ministry of Public Works, the Ministry of Energy and Water, and the Council for Development and Reconstruction, to approve the necessary measures for public safety, especially since addressing the issue requires significant financial allocations."
