Police and emergency personnel on the Nahr Ibrahim highway. (Credit: NNA/File photo)
BEIRUT — A man in his 40s was rescued by the Civil Defense on Sunday morning after he attempted to commit suicide by throwing himself in front of passing cars on the western lane of the Nahr Ibrahim Highway, north of Beirut, the state run National News Agency reported.
Members of the Okaybeh Civil Defense center were able to rescue him, and the man, who is reportedly in good health, was handed over to his family, NNA reported.
As Lebanon still recovers from the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 Beirut port explosion, it continues to sink deeper into economic meltdown.
In recent months, the media has been increasingly reporting on cases of suicide, further highlighting this public health problem. But, since 2019, the officially reported number of suicide cases has not increased significantly. In 2021, 145 cases were recorded; in 2022, 138.