OCHA Situation Report No. 24
Lebanon
17 August 2006


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

KEY DEVELOPMENTS
UN Convoys and Returnees Congest Roads to South

The Lebanese HRC estimates that 200,000 displaced have returned, or are 
in the process of returning, to the south of Lebanon. UNHCR estimates 
that at least 48,000 people had left Syria and returned to Lebanon. 
However, UNIFIL have reported that the movement of IDPs to villages 
close to the Blue Line is only a "trickle".

Preliminary UN Assessment Completed

WFP and UNICEF carried out the first preliminary UN assessment in the 
southern suburbs of Beirut. It was reported that some 200,000 people 
have returned to the southern suburbs and that there are an estimated 
15,000 housing units destroyed with the worst affected area being Haret 
Hreik. The UN team has indicated that some 50,000 people are urgently in 
need of relief aid. The UN Humanitarian Coordinator will lead a high 
level inter-agency mission to assess damage, needs and the scope of 
assistance required by returning populations tomorrow.

Casualty Figures Rise as More Bodies Recovered

With bodies still being pulled from wrecked buildings (50 over the last 
24 hours), the HRC has indicated that the numbers of dead will continue 
to rise as recovery teams reach previously inaccessible areas.

Aid Ship Anamcara Arrives in Tyre

Emergency supplies of fuel for hospital generators, food, water and 
medicine are being offloaded at the port of Tyre after a delay of 
several days. The UN will distribute these relief goods to hospitals and 
villages.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

1. The Government of Lebanon's (GoL) Higher Relief Council (HRC) report 
the number of Lebanese killed in the conflict at over 1,152, though they 
have warned that the number will likely rise as access to previously 
inaccessible areas increases. The number of Israeli civilians killed as 
a result of the conflict stands at 52 (seven of them children).

2. As a steady stream of Lebanese return to the devastated suburbs of 
Beirut, villages in the Beka'a Valley and southern Lebanon, immediate 
humanitarian needs are being assessed in parallel with the need for 
urgent repairs to infrastructure and UXO clearance. As part of a major 
operation to clear the Lebanese countryside of UXOs, teams from the UN's 
Mine Action Coordination Center are undertaking assessments in the 
South, 36 UXOs have already been identified.

Security Update

3. UNIFIL continues intensive patrolling throughout its area of 
operation to assess the situation on the ground and monitor the 
cessation of hostilities. The peace continues to hold with only three 
limited skirmishes reported in the past 24 hours. The IDF is maintaining 
its presence inside Lebanon but have not attempted to occupy any 
additional territory.

4. The UNIFIL Force Commander met senior representatives of the Lebanese 
Army and the IDF this morning, to discuss and coordinate the Israeli 
withdrawal and subsequent deployment of the Lebanese Army in specific 
areas in the South.

Mines/UXOs

5. A Chinese UNIFIL de-mining team has commenced UXO clearance 
operations in various locations in the south.

6. UNICEF launched an information campaign for returnees today in 
partnership with the National De-Mining Office, the Lebanese Army, the 
University of Balamand, the National Steering Committee for Mine Risk 
Education and World Rehabilitation, UNMAS and UNDP. UNICEF Syria has 
printed 50,000 pamphlets and UNHCR and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent 
(SARC) are distributing them in returnee packages.

Returns update

7. UNHCR notes that public spaces - such as parks, buildings, and 
shopping centers in Beirut - previously used by those displaced are now 
almost empty. Additionally, village schools south of the capital that 
had also provided shelter are now reported to be almost empty.

8. Syria: UNHCR report that 45,280 Lebanese have returned to Lebanon 
from Syria in the last two days.

9. A team led by WFP and UNICEF visited suburbs in South Beirut 
yesterday to assess damaged housing and infrastructure as well as the 
needs of the estimated 200,000 people who have returned. The team 
reported that there is an urgent need for drinking water, food, medicine 
and items such as mattresses, blankets and other NFIs. Shelter and basic 
infrastructure repairs will be the priority for up to 50,000 people.

10. Of the 130,000 people registered as displaced in southern port town 
of Saida, it is now believed that only 13,000 remain. Those remaining 
continue to receive assistance from the local Saida municipality, NGOs, 
the Hariri Foundation, as well as through the contributions of 
international donors. The municipality is expanding its operation to 
include displaced in the surrounding villages. Today, local authorities 
organized approximately 20 buses to facilitate the transport of those 
wishing to return to Nabatiye and Tyre.

Infrastructure

11. Power is expected to be restored to the Tyre municipal system by 
tonight, while the city of Saida is providing a reduced service. Only 
one of three power stations is fully operational, while the other two 
are being repaired. Petrol and diesel (for generators) is available at 
all gas stations in Saida, and prices appear to have fallen to 
pre-conflict levels as fuel-supply has increased.

12. Extensive damage to infrastructure was observed by a WFP/UNICEF 
assessment team in the Haret Hreik and Ruhbeiri districts of South 
Beirut. However, municipal officials suggest that water and sanitation 
networks may be repairable in the short-term. Damage to housing is being 
assessed: some 2,500 units have reportedly been destroyed in Haret Hreik 
alone, with a further 5,000 damaged.

13. A UN team has undertaken an assessment of the overall damage to 
Saida's infrastructure, with the results expected tomorrow. Local 
authorities and the Hariri Foundation are conducting a clean-up campaign 
along the main highway from Saida to Beirut. The cleanup has 
considerably improved travel time to the north and south of the city.

14. UNIFIL continues to assess damage to civilian infrastructure. In the 
village of Ghanduriyah 80% of civilian houses have been destroyed, 60% 
in the village of Zibqin, 50% in Jabal al Butm and Bayyadah, 30% in Bayt 
Leif and 25% in Kafra.

HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE

Logistics

15. Two convoys departed this morning for Baalbek/Hazbaya and Tyre. 
Twelve trucks carried mattresses, blankets and other relief goods for 
UNHCR and Premier Urgence; while three UNRWA trucks carried food for 
some 5,000 inhabitants of Wavel camp.

16. The Anamcara, currently docked in Tyre, will return to Limassol once 
all cargo has been offloaded. It is anticipated that the ship will 
return in the coming days loaded with additional humanitarian 
assistance.

17. A ferry shuttle service for cargo between Beirut and Tyre is being 
negotiated between the UN Joint Logistics Center (JLC) and local 
authorities.

18. UNJLC reports that insufficient civilian trucking capacity at Beirut 
port has meant that some UN trucks have had to be assigned to the port 
for offloading cargo, thus reducing the number available for convoys.

19. A twice-weekly passenger catamaran service - capable of carrying 300 
passengers - from Cyprus to Beirut will begin tomorrow, 17 August. The 
service will be free for UN agencies, accredited NGOs and embassies. 
Bookings can be currently made by forwarding passport and contact 
details to saba.jamil@wfp.org.

20. The French vessel Cap Camarat is due to dock in Beirut on 17 August.

21. WHO is offloading 67mt of fuel in Beirut port. Eighteen hospitals in 
Tyre, Saida and Nabatiye will receive fuel supplies to last at least 10 
days.

Health/Nutrition

22. WHO is supporting the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) in finalizing 
a rapid health facilities assessment for South Lebanon. One hospital in 
Baalbek has been totally destroyed, while several others are only able 
to partially function as a result of Israeli strikes.

23. MSF continues to deliver medical supplies to 11 hospitals in Lebanon 
(four facilities in Tyre with the rest in Jezzine, Nabatiye, Jobb 
Jannine, Qaraaoun and Niha). MSF mobile health teams are treating around 
400 patients a week in Tyre and approximately 650 in Beirut.

24. UNIFIL has been providing medical assistance (including the 
evacuation of war wounded), food (provided by the French Government) and 
water to the villages of Hinniyah, Zibqin, Bint Jubayl, Kafra and Beit 
Leif.

Food

25. Approximately 1,330mt of food for over 262,300 people has been 
dispatched by WFP on UN convoys since 23 July.

26. WFP has provided 111mt of food to the village of Rmeish on the 
border with Israel for an estimated 7,500 people. WFP delivered 150mt of 
food for 10,000 people (one week's supply) in the village of Hazbaya. 
WFP is also providing returnees from Syria with a food package.

27. Syria: The UN Country Team has reached an agreement with the Syrian 
Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour (MoSAL) to carry out daily food 
distributions to displaced remaining in the country. Deliveries of 
bread, oil, pulses and canned meat will start today, reaching some 
17,000 people.

Shelter, NFIs

28. With data from assessments in Beirut and the South still being 
collected and consolidated, it is not yet known how many people are 
currently without shelter. To address the increasing needs, UNHCR and 
partner agencies continue to transport and receive shelter and bedding 
supplies.

29. Two Royal Jordanian Air Force C-130s arrived in Beirut today 
carrying blankets, plastic sheeting and tents. Armored vehicles were 
also flown in to assist with humanitarian distribution in areas subject 
to high-risk of UXO contamination.

Early Recovery

30. Some five to 10mt of heavy fuel-oil has been removed from Jbeil 
(Byblos) harbor with the remaining oil to be cleaned up within the next 
two days. Increased aerial and sea-based surveys are required to assess 
the amount of fuel-oil still at sea and determine the feasibility of 
sea-based clean up so as to prevent the oil from reaching the coastline.

FUNDING

Flash Appeal

31. The Flash Appeal for Lebanon is now 52% funded. Contributions stand 
at just over US $86.3 million, with an additional US $7.5 million in 
pledges. Top donors include: the European Commission, US, Norway, France 
and the CERF. New pledges include Qatar (US $2 million) and Indonesia 
(US $1 million)

32. Agencies and donors are encouraged to report new pledges to 
http://www.reliefweb.int/fts.


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