The Ministry of Interior and Municipalities, Bourj Hammoud Municipality, issued a statement today, Saturday, stating: "Lebanese regions, especially coastal ones, witnessed a high intensity of rainfall on the night of Friday, December 22 to Saturday, December 23, 2023, where large amounts of precipitation fell in a short period. These natural factors led to difficult conditions and significant damage, particularly affecting the areas of Beirut and Bourj Hammoud, which are at sea level, with some neighborhoods even lower than that, receiving floods from surrounding areas and more distant highlands.
In light of the above, we would like to point out the following: First, we must extend a big salute to the Civil Defense, whose members, particularly the young men and women of the Bourj Hammoud center, exerted tremendous efforts to rescue cars from water pools and mud, and to provide assistance to those trapped by the floods. We draw the attention of all concerned parties that this situation does not allow for the tossing of responsibilities or disavowing them onto others. It is a time for solidarity, cooperation, and working together within everyone's capabilities to alleviate suffering and address the issues.
In this context, we believe that urgent and immediate measures are necessary, especially since we are at the beginning of the rainy season, and climate change warns of a sudden recurrence of what we have witnessed in recent days. The most important of these measures are: A - Forming a central operations room and regional rooms, comprising different administrations and agencies, with various expertise and specialties, to develop plans on the one hand, and to respond quickly in emergencies on the other. B - A core issue to address is the outlet of the Beirut River, where it is essential to remove what has caused its narrowing and work on expanding it so that floods can easily flow to the sea. C - There is an urgent need for dozens of pumps to remove water and mud from the low-lying neighborhoods that have flooded. D - We hope the Ministry of Energy and the electricity company will ensure continuous power for about a week in regions that suffered from river and sewer flooding in Beirut and Bourj Hammoud, to support the operation of public and private pumps and enable residents to clean homes, institutions, and basement warehouses. E - The protective walls built around the Beirut River for the past seventy years have not been properly maintained for a while, such that the connections lead to water leakage, and the walls suffer from numerous cracks. The ownership and responsibility for this facility is unclear between the Ministries of Energy, Public Works, and other administrations. Accordingly, we hope the Cabinet and the concerned administrations will clarify the responsible parties and their responsibilities to facilitate cooperation in addressing this danger threatening the neighboring areas in Beirut and Bourj Hammoud, especially since the area’s elevation in some neighborhoods is equal to the level of the river and the sea, while lower in others. F - It should be noted that the economic and financial crises, which have heavily burdened various administrations and agencies, have weighed most heavily on local administrations and authorities, which already suffer from weak financial, technical, and human resources. Thus, it is crucial to promptly support and assist local authorities so they can fulfill their duties.
In conclusion, we call upon all concerned parties to prioritize this issue and work on finding effective solutions. We also assure our people that we will spare no effort with all our means and capabilities, based on our commitment to ensuring their safety and the safety of public and private properties."
