The day of the explosion in the port of Beirut, Michele and Nabiha were at home, having a coffee as the do every afternoon. Everything started to tremble, the furniture shifted, lights went out and windows shattered. “Then there was a roar I cannot describe; I just remember the fear I felt, which was like never before.” With these words, Michele, age 82, describes the events of August 4th, when a great explosion in Beirut caused the death of 220 people and 7,000 injured.
Four months later, a significant portion of the city remains in ruins: condemned buildings, destroyed homes. There is rubble everywhere in Beirut. “We were so afraid,” says Michele’s wife, Nabiha, age 84. “People begged for help in the streets. They were looking for comfort from one another.” Still today, even the pounding of rain or crack of thunder reverberating in her home reminds Nabiha of the terrible sounds of the explosion. “I still feel that fear. I cannot sleep”.
Michele and Nabiha face this winter in their home which suffered serious structural damage: broken windows unrepaired, walls that can buckle at any moment. Their meager savings are needed for medical care, which they both need. INTERSOS aid workers met this elderly couple in the days following the explosion. With home visits, our volunteers in the field were able to show the gravity of the human and economic situation up close.
“I spend my days sitting on a chair, waiting to take my medicines, wishing for someone to come and help. We are poor, humble people. It is so hard to feel alone during this difficult time.”
INTERSOS has started a reconstruction project that will benefit 3,260 people, by providing raw building materials—mostly lumber and hardware—to repair doors, locks, windows, ceilings and common areas in buildings to restore 725 habitable units.