VIENNA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th August, 2020) The Austrian authorities will provide approximately $1 million to Lebanon after a massive explosion in Beirut, the Foreign Ministry announced on Saturday.
"Following the devastating explosions in the port of Beirut, the Austrian government has decided to mark 1 million Euros [$1.17 million] from the foreign disaster relief fund for emergency aid to Lebanon," the ministry said in a statement.
Half of the money will be sent to the Lebanese Red Cross while the other half will be donated to Austrian non-governmental organizations, which operate in the country, providing aid and shelter to thousands of injured and displaced people.
"We intend to assist in a quick and direct manner so that the victims of that tragedy would receive the best aid in the first days and weeks after the explosion," Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said.
Late on Tuesday, a powerful explosion took place at the port of Beirut, killing at least 154 people and injuring about 5,000, per the latest estimates. According to the authorities, the explosion was caused by 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, confiscated by the customs services in 2014, and since stored in the port. The city has been declared a disaster site, with a state of emergency being imposed for two weeks.
