The question of compensation has been a prevalent one after the Beirut Port explosion, especially for people who suffered material losses. On Thursday, Lebanon announced a compensation program for owners of damaged buildings.
Homes and businesses damaged by the August 4 blast will soon be able to benefit from the financial support program.
According to the Lebanese presidency, the program consists of 100 billion Lebanese pounds. This equates to over $66 million at the official exchange rate, or $13 million on the parallel market.
Beirut Municipality and the Lebanese Army will cooperate to distribute the funds among the thousands of people in the Lebanese capital whose houses and businesses were damaged by the blast.
The Lebanese Army’s survey in the city revealed that the explosion had damaged nearly 60,818 houses and 19,115 businesses, in addition to 1,137 heritage units, 962 restaurants, 82 educational institutions, and 12 hospitals.
The assessment also revealed that around 550,000 square meters of glass had been destroyed and 140,000 facades shattered. Upwards of 108,000 doors were also damaged by the explosion.
The survey conducted in Beirut “is considered to be sufficient and there is, therefore, no need for further surveyed by donor countries,” the Army has said in a statement.
The decree that allocates the announced funds was signed by the Lebanese president on Thursday.
As for the loss in cars amounting to over $5 million, car importers have collectively started filing requests to be compensated by the government.
There is no indication yet of whether the blast-pounded cars of the citizens are counted in the loss or in the request for compensation.
Overall, the port explosion cost Lebanon close to $15 billion in material damage, but that remains an estimation.
