Red and polluted waters by waste at the Litani, in Bednayel, on Dec. 9, 2025. (Credit: Sarah Abdallah)
A section of the Litani River turned red in recent days near the locality of Bednayel in the Bekaa, after being polluted by blood coming from several slaughterhouses in the area, according to our correspondent in the region.
The alarm was raised by a local resident who filed a complaint after the establishment of an illegal dump in Bednayel, as well as the spread of red-colored wastewater near homes.
A technical team from the National Litani Office then visited the site, accompanied by police.
According to preliminary findings from the investigation, the blood came from multiple slaughterhouses in the area and had mixed with one of the river’s tributaries.
The team is expected to draft a report to be submitted to the relevant authorities in order to implement necessary legal and environmental measures.
The Litani stretches about 140 kilometers from its source in the Bekaa to the Lebanese coast.
Pollution levels in the river have been high for years, due to a combination of factors: ineffective sanitation networks, poor governance, lack of enforcement of regulations and irresponsibility on the part of industries nearby.
In November 2018, the Industry Ministry shut down dozens of unlicensed factories that were polluting the Litani during a campaign.
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