World Bank, municipality agree to make Beirut earthquake resilient
The World Bank and the municipality of Beirut signed an agreement Thursday to improve Beirut’s infrastructure and make the city more resilient against earthquakes and other natural disasters, reports the Daily Star.
“We’re here to celebrate a big achievement for the municipality of Beirut and the city of Beirut,” President of the Municipal Council of Beirut Dr. Bilal S. Hamad said during a news conference. “This is the signing of an agreement between us and the World Bank ... to make Beirut a city that’s resilient against natural disasters and especially earthquakes.”
According to the report, earthquake losses in Lebanon are estimated to be $119.65 million per year on average in the future. Lebanon, located on volatile continental plates which expose it to the risk of earthquakes and tsunamis, is also frequently exposed to nationwide storms such as last winter’s Zina.