Search for Survivors Called off, 20,000 Buildings Under Threat of Collapse
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Rescuers have recovered 27 bodies from the rubble of a collapsed building in Ashrafiyeh amid fears that 20,000 structures could face a similar fate if the government doesn’t take quick action.
The rescue teams called off the search for survivors on Monday night after only finding bodies throughout the day. The dead included 11 Lebanese and 16 foreigners, Interior Minister Marwan Charbel told Voice of Lebanon radio station on Tuesday.
Eleven people, who were injured in the collapse of the building in the Fassouh neighborhood of Ashrafiyeh on Sunday evening, were all rescued in the first hours of the accident.
The head of parliament’s public works committee, MP Mohammed Qabbani, warned in remarks to An Nahar daily that “20,000 such buildings could face a fate similar to that of Fassouh.”
The issue has opened a wide door of discussion on the role of authorities in inspecting old buildings, deciding their fate and avoiding similar disasters.
Such an incident has been preceded by two similar cases in Byaqout and Mezher, Qabbani said.
During a session it held at Baabda palace on Monday, the cabinet agreed to provide LL30 million ($20,000) to every victim in compensation and tasked the Higher Relief Council with providing them alternative housing to the survivors and the families of nearby buildings who were evacuated on Sunday night upon the order of security forces.
Ashrafiyeh lawmakers called for a three-hour closure at noon Wednesday during the funeral of 15-year-old Anne Marie Abdel Karim at the Sayydeh church.
"I was asleep, I woke up and felt everything shaking and then something fell on me and I started screaming," said Antonella, Anne Marie's twin sister. She spoke to reporters from her hospital bed on Monday, not knowing her sister had died.
"Thank God it was just this, and nothing more," she said.
17 January 2012, 14:02
80
Blame the past corrupt governments of March 14 losers. They have blood on their filthy, corrupt hands. ONE WAY TICKET!
17 January 2012, 16:40
05
Hey !!! 'Someone' ahhhh news flash!!! March 14 and 8 did NOT exist till about 2004, certainly not in 1950’s when Construction of the collapsed building took place. Ah… you know what 'Someone'? You’re right let’s blame the extinction of the dinosaurs on March 14 too. Ok I hope this helps your pee size brain to comprehend... I've been reading Naharnet for at least 2 years... but decided to sign up today so just to respond to stupid demented comments like yours. By the way in my opinion M8 figure heads are far more corrupt than M14 heads from the past and present. 1.2 Billion bucks and electricity in this country sucks. The Aouns got their money.
17 January 2012, 22:30
03
I agree with peace. Lets start by changing our way of thinking for this country to improve. We are lebanese in the 1st place regardless of what religion we believe in. Lets fight for our rights, most of our politicians work for their own benifits and try to take decisions after the disaster happens. Wake up Wake up ouffffffff
18 January 2012, 00:11
00
ITS not march 14 or 8. it is the old rental law dated from the ottoman empire. When the lira fell in the 80s the gov did not adjust the rental law and the old lanlords were left with not even enough money to buy bread for their families . That made it hard and impossible for the old landlords to maitain their buildings. The old landlords warned the gov over and over again about this issues but no one listened, The old buildings started becoming graves on the tenants. Now the tenants knew about it and did not report it to the law. because they are holding on to the old cobwebed law that they can get khlou . if they report the problem they will be evicted and with no money for them. the landlords never asked the tenants to stay . they made up their own decision.
