At least 14 people died in the collapse of an apartment building in Tripoli, northern Lebanon. the Lebanese Civil Defense Office announced on Monday. TASR informs about it according to the report of the DPA agency.
- Residents in Tripoli are threatened by a number of unmaintained and damaged buildings.
- After the collapse of the building, rescue operations ended, eight people were saved.
- According to the UN, Tripoli has the highest poverty rate in Lebanon.
- The incident sparked protests and damage to barricades in front of politicians’ offices.
- 14 people died in the collapse of an apartment building in Tripoli.
The incident occurred on Sunday, while a residential building consisting of two parts, each with six floors, collapsed, explained the director of the mentioned office. According to him, the search operations for the victims have ended. 14 people died and another eight were saved.
The city of Tripoli, with a poverty rate of more than 70 percent, is considered the poorest in Lebanon, according to the United Nations. Many buildings there have not been maintained for years. The area where the apartment building collapsed was also the scene of heavy clashes between Sunni militants and the neighboring area of Jabal Muhsi during the Syrian uprising, when many people in Tripoli supported the Syrian opposition.
The representative of the Higher Office for Aid, referring to several data from the municipality in Tripoli, stated that 105 buildings require immediate evacuation warnings for residents. The Lebanese Property Owners Association says at least 16,000 buildings in the country are at risk of collapse, with the majority in the capital Beirut and Tripoli.
The Lebanese news agency NNA reported that after Sunday’s incident, groups of angry men raced through the streets of the city on motorbikes, while some headed towards the offices of several politicians and damaged the metal barricades in front of them.
