Urgent support of $10.3 million is needed to provide emergency assistance to migrant workers affected by the explosion at the port of Beirut last week, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a press release on Friday
UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th August, 2020) Urgent support of $10.3 million is needed to provide emergency assistance to migrant workers affected by the explosion at the port of Beirut last week, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a press release on Friday.
"IOM is launching an appeal today to raise urgent funds for its response to the emergency in Lebanon - triggered by the 4 August explosions at the Port of Beirut and further exacerbated by the ongoing economic and COVID-19 crises," the release said. "The USD 10.3 million appeal targets more than 43,000 people, including 25,000 vulnerable migrants, 16,500 members of the Lebanese host community and 2,000 Syrian refugees."
According to the IOM, roughly 8 percent of the estimated 300,000 people affected by the blast are migrant workers, who primarily came from Ethiopia, Bangladesh and the Philippines.
Many of migrants who live within the radius of damage from the explosion have lost their homes. At least 150 migrant workers have sustained injuries and 15 died in the explosion.
IOM said the requested funding will allow it to provide health care, food, short term employment opportunities, shelter and psychological support for migrants throughout 2020.
On August 4, the powerful blast took place in the port of Beirut killing more than 170 people and more than 5,000. According to the authorities, the explosion was caused by 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, confiscated by the customs services in 2014 and stored in the port since then.
