Year after Lebanon blast, children still in distress: UN

Ayearaftera monster explosion at Beirut's port, one in three families inLebanonhavechildrenstillshowing signs of trauma, theUNsaid Tuesday.

"One in three familieshaschildrenstillshowing signs of psychologicaldistress," said theUNagency forchildren, UNICEF, citing a July survey of 1,200 families.

"In the case of adults, the figure reaches almost one in two (45.6 percent)," it added in a report published on the eve of theblast's first anniversary.

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The August 4, 2020 explosion killed more than 200 people, wounded at least 6,500 others and damaged swathes of the capital.

In theyearsince,Lebanonhas also had to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic and a spiralling economic crisis branded by the World Bank as one of the planet's worst since the mid-19th century.

"Oneyearafterthe tragic events,children's lives remain deeply affected," said Yukie Mokuo,UNICEF's representative inLebanon.

"Those families have been struggling to recover from the aftermath of the explosions at the worst possible time – in the middle of a devastating economic crisis and a major pandemic."

AUNICEFsurvey in July found that almost all families that requested assistance in the wake of the Beirut portblaststillneed help, especially cash and food assistance, the agency said.

Many who lost employment because of theblasthave yet to find work,UNICEFadded, asLebanongrapples with soaring poverty, rampant inflation and shortages of basic items from medicine to fuel.

"Children's lives are at risk as the escalating crisis is leaving most families unable to afford their basic needs," Mokuo said.