Displaced persons from South Lebanon at the entrance to the municipality of Saida, Sept. 30, 2024. (Credit: Muntasser Abdallah/L'Orient Today)
More than 25,000 displaced people from southern Lebanon have taken refuge in Saida, with some forced to live on the streets, our correspondent in the region.
"Currently, 6,000 people are staying in 22 centers for displaced individuals in Saida," said Moustapha Hijazi, head of the operations room of the Disaster Management Cell at Saida’s municipality, in a statement to our publication. He also indicated that "another 3,500 have been living on the streets, in parks, in buildings not equipped to accommodate displaced individuals, or with relatives." According to him, Greater Saida is hosting around 10,000 displaced people, while Saida and its suburbs account for approximately 18,000.
"We are working to open new centers within the next 24 hours with the help of the relevant parties," added Hijazi. He also stated that Saida’s Disaster Management Cell has managed to meet 85% of the displaced population's needs in terms of supplies, though they still lack pillows. Hijazi further reported a shortage of children's supplies.
On Saturday, Lebanon’s caretaker Environment Minister and head of the government's crisis cell, Nasser Yassin, said that Israeli strikes in Lebanon have displaced about one million people.
