Following the collapse of a building in Tripoli on Sunday, which killed one child and injured others, Indira al Zuhairi, president of the Lebanese Real Estate Authority, stated that this building is “one of the 4,000 buildings threatened with collapse” in Tripoli.
This number is much higher in the whole country, amounting to more than 15,000 buildings that are threatened with collapse, according to Zuhairi.
She also stated that “the Lebanese Real Estate Authority did not stop calling on the concerned authorities to conduct a survey of the buildings in the governorates which are threatened with collapse since the August 4, 2020 explosion.”
Zuhairi explains that so many buildings might crumble because they were either built a long time ago and haven’t been maintained since, or because of “serious governmental oversight that has allowed the usage of corrupted material during construction.”
Also, the cost of building materials and low salaries in this economic crisis are reasons why proper restoration and maintenance are not being done.
Zuhairi urges citizens to steer clear of any “partial or complete collapse or demolition” and to “stay at a safe distance and avoid gathering around the building.”
Riad Yamak, the Mayor of Tripoli, denied responsibility for Sunday’s 3-story building collapse. He accused the heritage department at the Ministry of Culture of “refusing any request for the renovation of dilapidated buildings, even when the necessary amount was available”, according to the National News Agency.
Related: An Old Building Collapsed In Tripoli, Lebanon Leaving 1 Dead And Several Injured
