Jordanians join fundraising to support Beirut’s recovery efforts after explosion

AMMAN — After the massive explosion at the Beirut port that killed some 150 people and caused $3 billion in damages, Jordan’s government and citizens rushed to help some 300,000 displaced Lebanese people.

The blast, which appeared to have been caused by a fire igniting 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate left unsecured in a warehouse at the port, was felt in Cyprus, some 240 kilometres away.

Beirut’s Governor Marwan Abboud spoke of “an apocalyptic situation”. He said the blast may have made 300,000 people temporarily homeless and would cost the country over $3 billion.

A day after the explosion, His Majesty King Abdullah issued directives to the concerned authorities to support the Lebanese people after the massive explosion by sending a field hospital that is fully equipped for conducting surgeries, including 48 beds, 10 ICU beds and two operating rooms.

The Jordanian military field hospital arrived in Lebanon on Thursday, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

 Also on Thursday, the Lebanese embassy in the Kingdom expressed gratitude to Jordan’s supportive stance.

Highlighting the deep-rooted Jordanian-Lebanese ties, Lebanese Ambassador to Jordan Tracy Chamoun, in a statement, voiced deep appreciation for the Jordanian assistance offered to her country amid the difficult times.

Jordanian citizens also rushed to the aid of the Lebanese people.

Farrah Matalka, social activist and founder of the “Giving Joy” initiative, urged her 53,500 followers on Instagram to donate to the Lebanese people.

Using her contacts in Lebanon, Farrah partnered with Offre Joie, a local Lebanese initiative that said it was “overwhelmed” with the donations it has received in the past couple of days.

Jordanians on social media also urged their friends and family to donate to the Lebanese Red Cross. The call came after viral tweets and Instagram posts by Lebanese people, called on anyone willing to donate, should do so through the Lebanese Red Cross.

 “If you want to donate, please do so through the Lebanese Red Cross and in dollars, as the Lebanese lira is currently useless,” read a tweet by a Lebanese widely circulated on social media.

A number of local Jordanian brands offered parts of their profit as donations to the Lebanese people, as well, with a T-shirt company reportedly offering 100 per cent of its sales for a month to the Lebanese people.