ASSESSING VULNERABILITIES IN MAR MIKHAEL
On the 4th of August 2020, a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored at the port of the city of Beirut exploded, causing over 200 deaths, 6,000 injuries, US$15 billion in property damages, and the displacement of almost 200,000 people. Lebanon was already suffering from a rapidly escalating financial crisis, further aggravated by the outbreak of COVID-19. The explosion devastated various neighbourhoods adjacent to the Beirut port area. Livelihoods were upended and people were forced to leave their homes or live in heavily damaged residences.
This research project explores the changing landscape of local vulnerabilities from pre-crisis to post-explosion in the neighbourhood of Mar Mikhael, one of the areas that were heavily affected by the blast, and comes as a medium-term assessment, six months after the blast, enabling a clearer understanding of fluctuating local vulnerabilities following immediate efforts mobilised on the ground.
Team
Partners
CatalyticAction
Development Planning Unit