In Sidon, Lebanon, emergency responders face dire challenges after Israeli bombings leave hundreds dead and thousands displaced amid ongoing crises.
When Israel started bombing near the Lebanese city of Sidon, emergency workers Mohamed Arkadan and his team faced a huge disaster.
Many apartments fell, trapping over 100 people inside. After 24 hours of searching, they found over 40 bodies, including children, and saved 60 survivors.
The experience was very hard for Arkadan, a veteran with 17 years of experience, especially because they didn’t have enough resources or support.
Lebanon’s economic problems and political issues have made it hard to provide basic services like healthcare and electricity.
The country has been without a government for over two years, making it feel like people are being left behind.
Arkadan said, “We have no supplies, no protective gear.” The fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has caused a lot of deaths, with over 1,000 people killed, including many women and children, and many have had to leave their homes.
More than 30 health centers have had to close, and with Israel planning to attack Hezbollah and advising people to leave some areas, the situation is getting worse.
The U.N. has given Lebanon $24 million to help those affected by the conflict.
Under fire and using old equipment, Lebanon’s rescuers struggle to respond to Israeli offensive https://t.co/qVpvGZls44
— CityNews Toronto (@CityNewsTO) October 2, 2024
Overwhelmed medical staff are dealing with a high number of patients, causing hospitals to delay non-urgent surgeries. In Tyre, many doctors and nurses have left to help others, leaving only a few to treat the injured.
After the bombings, around 250 volunteers, including a search-and-rescue team, joined Arkadan’s efforts, but they struggled because they didn’t have the latest equipment.
They had to use old tools like scissors and shovels to look for survivors under the debris.
Many people from other places came to Tyre, hoping it would be safer than other areas. However, more than 8,000 people arrived, and there weren’t enough resources to go around.
The local leader, Hassan Dbouk, was worried about how to provide basic needs like food and water and the city was becoming very dirty because there weren’t enough workers to clean up.
The situation in Tyre is very bad, with only five doctors left in one hospital. The number of people getting hurt and killed is increasing, and the city is being hit more often.
Rescue workers are finding more dead than injured people and are working in constant danger.
Hosein Faqih, who leads the civil defense team in Nabatiyeh, said they are doing their best with what they have, even though they don’t have the protection or tools they need.
They have to be careful not to go into dangerous areas because of the bombings.