A devastated room in the southern suburbs of Beirut, following Israeli shelling during the night of Sept. 27-28, 2024. (Rights reserved)
Since last Monday, heavy Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed at least 700 people, according to the latest numbers compiled by the Health Ministry, following the launch that day of the Israeli military operation "Northern Arrows," with the announced goal of bringing Israeli families from the north of the country home, as well as the massive bombing last Friday night in the southern suburbs of Beirut, which killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
In this war context, many homes have been targeted in southern Lebanon, in the Bekaa Valley and in the southern suburbs of Beirut, putting the lives of the population at various risks, whether in terms of the structural integrity of homes or health, both in the short and medium term. What are these risks and how does one protect oneself? L'Orient-Le Jour takes stock.
Risks related to structural integrity problems
Regarding this first topic, Rodolphe Matar, a building structure engineer, emphasized that there have certainly been "many partially damaged buildings and that pending a comprehensive assessment, it is important to pay close attention to visible cracks on the walls to determine whether the housing is still habitable."
In the event of cracks, "the first thing to do is to see if it is possible to reinforce the affected buildings to avoid any collapse. If so, residents can request quick reinforcement work around the slabs or beams that may be damaged, pending expanding the scope of the work."
On the other hand, if the slabs or columns have been more seriously damaged and/or moved from their place, residents must evacuate the premises.
Sany Jamal, an architect and professor at the American University of Beirut (AUB), also stressed the need to consider the age of the building, its location (whether it is protected behind other solid structures), its height, and the nature of visible cracks. "Some buildings are more resistant to such shocks, especially if they were recently built and comply with the required seismic standards," he said.
However, even this type of construction will not withstand the shocks caused by "bunker-buster" type weapons used in the Friday night attack on the southern suburbs of Beirut. "These are designed to destroy everything," he said. In such cases, or when the explosions are very significant, he recommends staying away from buildings in the vicinity.
Risks related to pollution
Regarding pollution risks, the first basic protection measure is to stay away from places where explosions have occurred. "The highest concentration of harmful particles circulating in the air is found in the first kilometers around the struck areas," said Charbel Afif, a pollution expert and director of the chemistry department at the Faculty of Sciences of Saint Joseph University in Beirut.
For those unable to move far away enough, the expert recommended wearing a mask or a piece of damp cloth for those without masks to reduce, as much as possible, exposure to toxic materials released after detonations.
"The dust and materials released by the explosions, which contain very fine particles, can cause short-term respiratory problems, especially for asthmatics, and in the longer term increase the risk of cancer due to highly harmful components such as heavy metals and polycyclic organic compounds that are absorbed," he said.
Another tip for people living near struck areas is to slightly open windows. This helps limit exposure to surrounding dust and especially reduce pressure and vibrations caused by the strikes, which could shatter windows and cause injuries.
On the other hand, he noted that the risk of asbestos exposure remains low, especially because the targeted buildings in the southern suburbs of Beirut were recently constructed, while the use of asbestos was more widespread in Lebanon before the 1980s. The risk could be higher around old buildings hit outside Beirut.
The population close to the bombings, particularly in southern Lebanon, is also exposed to risks caused by smoke from Israeli white phosphorus shells, whose use dates back to the beginning of the war. "Exposure to this material can cause severe burns and lead to significant respiratory problems," highlighted MP Najat Aoun Saliba, an environmental specialist.
This article was originally published in L'Orient-Le Jour.
