Many Lebanese-origin residents living in the UAE are in shock after a massive explosion rocked Beirut on Tuesday, and are asking for support for those affected by the blast in Lebanon.
Anguished residents in the UAE have been making continuous calls to their families and relatives back home to enquire about their safety since news of the tragedy first broke.
Rescue operations in the Lebanese capital reportedly continued through the night and into Wednesday morning, after two huge explosions devastated the area around the port, killing at least 100, injuring more than 4,000 others, and destroying buildings across the surrounding area.
Khlaeej Times spoke to a few Lebanese expats in the UAE who were greatly relieved to hear that their kin, who could have been in the area around the time of the blast, are, in fact, safe.
UAE resident Adan Jerkass said, "A cousin of mine was around the area at that time. Due to the blast, she suffered [only] minor injuries. thankfully. We are all relieved to hear this. But everybody is rattled back home. She sustained minor cuts, as she was around the Achrafieh area when the incident happened."
Another Lebanese-origin resident Jad Khalek said, "Fortunately, none of my immediate relatives were in the area at the time of the blast. They were at different places around that time. But yes, the news, undoubtedly, came as a shock. After I heard what happened, I started making frantic calls home - but, by God's grace, everyone I know is safe. It's really sad to see what happened. Some people initially thought it was an earthquake. Let's please pray for Lebanon and the Lebanese people."
Nihal El Masri, a Lebanese expatriate in Dubai said, "Fortunately, all my family members, including my father, are safe. A few of them suffered minor injuries - thankfully, nothing major - and all the glass in their homes was shattered."
She explained that her friends and relatives had to leave the city and rush to the outskirts in order to find medical care, as the hospitals in the city were terribly overwhelmed. "It was really scary in the beginning, because my father is in Beirut and we weren't able to get in touch with him as the phone lines were down."
Although Beirut is "used to" explosions, a distressed Nihal said she has never seen anything on this scale. "It is heartbreaking, to be honest. People have lost their homes in the midst of this pandemic; with the economic crisis and all this corruption, what will people do? Lebanon was once the Europe of the Middle East. What is the future of our country now?"
This article has been adapted from its original source.
