Higher Relief Commission
Daily Situation Report
Sitrep No: 23
Date: 16 /08/2006
Lebanon under siege http://www.lebanonundersiege.gov.lb offers up-to-date
information on relief efforts and diplomatic initiatives. The site lists locations of
shelter and Aid distribution, along with a tally of damage, casualties and official
statements. Significantly, the site is available in three languages. This site is the
official Lebanese government source of information.
1-Current situation:
As thousands of displaced Lebanese civilians jammed bombed-out roads in the hope of
returning home, Israeli warplanes dropped leaflets on Tuesday warning civilians not to
head home until the Lebanese Army and UN peacekeepers are deployed in the region.
Entering the south and Beirut's Suburb, you observe the incredible destruction of
infrastructure and civilians buildings caused by powerful Israel's war machine. Rubbles
and shattered glasses blocking your way In/Out and, Bulldozer and rescue workers
recovering dozens of bodies from under the rubbles. The UNIFIL peace keeping forces
said" initial assessments in some southern villages showed that between 50 and 80
percent of civilian homes had been destroyed.
The Lebanese Civil Defense pulled over 10 bodies from the rubble in the Dahiyeh
Tuesday, as witnesses claimed they still heard screams from under the demolished
buildings, Civil Defense workers said three or four families were trapped in two
shelters in the basement of the buildings, they could not access the shelter because the
rubble kept collapsing, causing further blockage and problems recovering the bodies.
The Lebanese Red Cross confirmed that another 61 bodies had been found in the south
and 18 people had been injured in rubble-related accidents.
The Cumulative figures of casualties are showing hereinafter.
Estimated No. of Death:
Estimated No. of Injured people:

61,152
34036
H.H Sheikh Khlifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has issued Directives to resume mine
clearing operation in South Lebanon. ”H.H Sheikh Khalifa has instructed the
concerned authorities to cooperate with the General Secretariat of the United Nations
and the Lebanese Government to resume de-mining operation in south Lebanon on
accordance with the UN Security Council’s resolution 1701, calling on Israel to hand
over maps of the land mines it laid in Lebanon”, Foreign Minister, Sheikh Abdullah
bin Zayed Al Nahyan said.
In May 2004, the UAE Armed Forces completed the third phase of the USD 50
million operations, initiated by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan to clear
130,000 mines laid by the Israeli forces in tens of villages in south Lebanon.

Sidon MP Mrs. Bahia Harriri announced that parliamentary majority leader MP Mr.
Saad Hariri and his brother Bahaaedine had offered to rebuild five bridges in the
southern port city "as soon as possible". Mrs. Harriri,s pledge came as she was
inspecting bridges from Rmeileh to Zahrani destroyed by the Isreali onslaught. The
Casino du Liban announced Tuesday that it would undertake the reconstruction of the
two bridges in Ghazir and Maameltein along the northern coastal highway at its own
expenses. Lebanese businessman Amal Hourani would contribute to reconstruct two
bridges on the litany river. .

Activists and volunteers from Green Line, An environmental NGO, said Tuesday
that they would start oil spill clean-up operations on the Ramlet al-Baida beach on
Tuesday. Green Line activists will use absorbent booms to pump up polluted seawater
and sand. Dr Ali Darwish, a green line member, said that the ministry needed to
provide adequate spaces to store collect oil. Darwish called on the international
community to pressure Israel to pay for the clean up operation. Darwish also urged
the ministry to put into effect a long term plan to handle the effects of spill on the
environment, stressing that the impact will be "serious on the marine ecosystem but
also on fishermen and tourism." The Environment ministry is still working on a
comprehensive clean-up plan, said spokeswoman Ms Ghada Mitri. "The ministry has
received sophisticate materials including skimmers and large booms from Norway a
few days ago and they being tested in Jbeil, Mitri said. The ministry is looking into
how to handle the collected oil. One option is to treat and reuse it; others are to store
it or have it disposed of, Mitri added.

H.E Prime minister Fouad Siniora announced that the higher relief commission will
start immediately paying financial aids to war effected civilians casualties through the
council for the south.

Acting Interior Minister Ahmed Fatfat said Tuesday that the Libyan leader Moammer
Gadhafi,s institution would provide the Lebanese civil defense with 100 million
worth of equipments.

UNHCR and IOM are arranging Bus convoys for Lebanese from Damascus to Beirut
and From Beirut to south Lebanon", we are assisting those who cannot afford to
return", UNHCR said. "We are trying to group people by village in each Bus, so we
can take them all the way to their final destination", IOM stated.

UN Agencies Dispatched two humanitarian convoys totaling 24 trucks carrying food,
medical supplies, water and sanitary goods to tyre. In total, nine convoys have been
dispatched yesterday, with other seven heading for destinations including Hasbaya in
the south east, saida and Tripoli. In addition to emergency supplies, key security and
road assessment will be made by specialized agencies. In addition the UN agencies
will carry out rapid assessment of the extent of damage to water systems; Installation
of emergency water systems where damage is extreme; provision of fuel for pumping
stations; water trucking; distribution of emergency bottled water supplies until
systems are repaired; and repair to sanitation systems, or installation of emergency
sanitation systems where required.
2- Movement of Displaced Population:
Thousands of displaced Lebanese continue returning to south Lebanon, UNICEF estimates that
some 6,000 people an hour are heading back towards the worst hit areas in the south of the
country.
The following shows the percentage of displaced who have left the displaced centers
(Schools/Institutions) in the past 48 Hours.
District
Number of displaced Number
of
remained Percentage of Returned
before ceasefire
displaced.
displaced.
Beirut
39,293
2,809
92.8
Mount
60,779
11,601
80.9
Lebanon
North
9,685
2,236
76.9
South
27,268
3,721
86.3
Bekhaa
5372
1,857
65.4
Valley
Total
142,397
33,170
80.45
The overall estimated figures of displaced population in Lebanon are shown here bellow.
Displaced
Other Information
Schools
33,170
sheltered in 879 schools/institutions
Unallocated. (Estimated).
200,000
Sheltered with host families, friends, etc.
Neighboring Countries(Estimated)
100,000
Syria, Jordan, Cyprus, and Gulf area.
Total
333,170
3- Food and non-food items distributed by the higher relief commission.
The daily distribution carried out by the higher relief commission of food and non-food items
continued to schools and host houses sheltering displaced.
The cumulative figures of distributed aids by the higher relief commission described herein
after.
Description
daily distribution
Cumulative distributed up to
To Schools/ Host houses.
date. Schools/ Host houses.
(Family/week)
(Family/week).
Food
10,400
338,000
Basket/Family/week.
Food
0
16,868
Basket/children/week
Blankets
0
126,517
Mattresses
200
138,336
Hot meal/family/day
12,491
561,038
Medical Supplies
N/A
N/A
Food basket/family/5persons/week
Children basket under 2 years
Rice 3kg , sugar 2kg , tea 1/2kg , cheese 2kg,
tuna cans 185g, meat 500g , spaghetti 3rolls ,
peas 2kg , ghee 1kg oil 1.5L , jam 2kg ,
milk1.8kg
Children milk 3 small cans, cerelac 2 cans, 1
baby milk bottle , 1 biscuit box, pampers 1
bag ,children powder 1 can , underwear 2
sets, 2 pairs of socks, children soap 2 bars.
4- In kind donations.
The followings In-kind donations were received by the higher relief commission.
Date
16/08/06
16/08/06
15/08/06
16/08/06
16/08/06
Description
Food
Food
Food and medicine
Food
Medicines/Food
Unit
Trucks
Ton
Truck
Plane
Plane
QTY
10.5
120
5
2
2
Donated by.
Humanitarian association in Jordan.
Government of Sultanate Oman.
Palestinian industries.
Palestinian industries.
UAE for Caritas
5-Destruction/damages:
The cumulative figures of Israel destructions in Lebanon are shown hereinafter.
Description
QTY
Vital Points ( Airports, Ports, Water and sewage treatment plants, 31
Electrical plants, Army brigades, water dams etc.
Roads
94
Fuel stations
25
Bridges
77
Units
No
Private houses/ Apartments (estimated)
10,500
Commercial sector (factories, markets, farms and medium size 900
enterprises etc)
No
No
Roads
No
No
5- Constraints:
 Lack of food and non-food items needed to serve displaced population. The available
quantities presents approximately 50% of the actual needed quantity.
 Targeting communication lines, cellular relay stations have led to disturbing all kind of
communication between cities and villages.
 Israel air and sea siege over Lebanon has blocked bringing international aides.
 Estimated total losses had reached 4 billion USD up to date.
 Targeting factories has drastically stopped all kind of local production for food and
non-food items.
 Lack of fuel has cut off aid lifeline.
 Unemployment rate has reached an approximate figure of 75%