Worldwide Offers Of Help Keep Coming As Death Toll In Beirut Blast Rises

Worldwide Offers of Help Keep Coming as Death Toll in Beirut Blast Rises

Countries across the world continue offering help as Lebanon confronts destruction caused by the massive Beirut blast

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th August, 2020) Countries across the world continue offering help as Lebanon confronts destruction caused by the massive Beirut blast.

The Greek Air Force's C-130 plane with a group of rescuers on board took off for the devastated Lebanese capital on Wednesday morning.

The aircraft carries 13 members of the first special disaster management unit, a rescue dog, two vehicles and special equipment.

"Our country has immediately responded to the Lebanese government's request through the European Civil Protection Mechanism to send assistance to deal with the consequences of the deadly explosion that occurred in Beirut on August 4 ... A search and rescue team from fire departments departed [for Beirut] in the morning," Greece's General Secretariat of Civil protection said.

The secretariat remains in constant contact with both the Lebanese authorities and the European Civil Protection Mechanism to provide further assistance if necessary.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has also offered help and extended condolences to the families of the victims.

"China is ready to provide assistance to Lebanon within its capabilities to... deal with this incident," spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a briefing.

In addition, Poland has offered concrete help. The State Fire Service is ready to dispatch a search and rescue team consisting of 39 rescuers, four dogs and, if necessary, chemical protection specialists as early as Wednesday.

King Abdullah II of Jordan has ordered sending a military field hospital to the neighboring country, according to the PETRA news agency. Qatar and Iraq earlier reported that they will also send field hospitals to Lebanon.

Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said that Stockholm is in contact with the EU to coordinate relief efforts. Denmark also offers a helping hand.

"Lebanon is home to 1.5 million refugees. DK [Kingdom of Denmark] already in support. We must show solidarity in these challenging times," Danish Minister of Development Cooperation Rasmus Prehn tweeted.

The EU's Civil Protection Mechanism is, meanwhile, coordinating "the urgent deployment of over a 100 highly trained firefighters, with vehicles, dogs and equipment, specialised in search and rescue in urban contexts," the commissioner for crisis management said.

The Netherlands, Greece and the Czech Republic have confirmed their participation in the operation, Janez Lenarcic added.

"France, Poland and Germany have also offered assistance via the Mechanism and more Member States can offer support ... The EU has also activated its Copernicus Satellite mapping system to support the Lebanese authorities in assessing the extent of the damage," he noted.

Turkey, in turn, is sending search and rescue teams, ambulance doctors as well as medical and humanitarian items to Lebanon, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Ukraine also stands ready to send a search and rescue team at any moment, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said at a government meeting.

The massive explosion hit Beirut on Tuesday evening, with at least 100 people killed and over 4,000 injured, according to the Lebanese Red Cross. The Beirut governor has said that half of the city's buildings were damaged and hospitals are overcrowded due to the large influx of injured patients. Many more victims are feared to remain under the rubble.