Catholic groups help recovery after Beirut explosion

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The fire broke out near the large grain silos in the port. It quickly spread to a warehouse containing 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer that can be made into an explosive.

Many buildings and warehouses along the docks were completely destroyed, and the shock wave from the explosion caused damage within a six-mile radius. Adjacent areas included the predominantly Christian neighborhoods of Beirut, Mar Maroun and Achrafieh.

Despite the damage caused to their own installations, the CRS rescued the victims of the explosion. Caritas Lebanon offered water and hot meals at several locations in Beirut. Caritas health centers have also opened, and a mobile medical unit and a mental health team have been made available to the public.

“Our partners immediately began working to ensure people received help, even if their own buildings had been damaged by the blast,” said CRS spokesperson Megan Gilbert.

“At CRS, we are privileged to contribute to the extremely generous volunteer response of the Lebanese people, despite all they have been through in the past year,” she said August 6.

Gilbert added: “A lot of people in Lebanon were struggling to get by even before this explosion. Now, because of the destruction, people are staying in badly damaged houses, or even on the streets. They are going to need long-term support to get through this.”

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