- Title: Lebanon deploys water cannon, helicopters to fight wildfires
- Date: 15th October 2019
- Summary: MECHREF, LEBANON (OCTOBER 15, 2019) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LEBANESE MAN, HUSSEIN MCHEIK, STANDING IN FRONT OF HIS HOUSE, SAYING: "At night, we came checking on the fire but the fire was very very big, we couldn't handle and ran away from here. The fire did not leave anything, it was so strong, it did not leave any greens, any buildings, anything. It was very intense. Damages are severe, it is good that damages are material and not humans. This is what we wished for and thanked God." MECHREF, LEBANON (OCTOBER 14, 2019) (REUTERS) FIREFIGHTER EXTINGUISHING FIRES SMOKE RISING HELICOPTER FLYING VARIOUS OF FIREFIGHTERS EXTINGUISHING FIRES VARIOUS OF BURNING TREES MECHREF, LEBANON (OCTOBER 15, 2019) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LEBANESE ENVIRONMENT MINISTER, FADI JREISSATI, SAYING: "Damages are very big and the situation, what happened, is surely catastrophic. I first want to take the opportunity to salute the civil defence and everyone on the ground who worked and are risking their lives to extinguish these fires." DAMMOUR, LEBANON (OCTOBER 15, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CARS DAMAGED BY FIRES MECHREF, LEBANON (OCTOBER 15, 2019) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LEBANESE ENVIRONMENT MINISTER, FADI JREISSATI, SAYING: "Hopefully everyone helping will stay cautious, may God help us, we still have two hard days, the heat and wind will stay strong; and we warned about this yesterday but this is God's will." VARIOUS OF BURNT WOODLAND CIVIL DEFENCE VEHICLES PARKED ON THE STREETS MAN SPRAYING WATER ON CHARRED BRANCHES VARIOUS OF BURNT TREES (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) GENERAL DIRECTOR OF THE LEBANESE CIVIL DEFENCE, GENERAL RAYMOND KHATTAR, SAYING: "From when this fire started till now, we have had during the past 24 hours around 104 fires… and from this early morning to now, around 28 fires in different regions across Lebanon." VARIOUS OF WATER CANNONS HELPING EXTINGUISH FIRES LEBANESE SECURITY MEMBERS USING WATER CANNONS TO HELP EXTINGUISH FIRES SMOKE RISING
- Embargoed: 29th October 2019 13:07
- Keywords: Lebanon lebanon fire environment climate change Lebanese civil defence
- Location: DBAYEH, CHOUF, MECHREF AND DAMMOUR, LEBANON
- City: DBAYEH, CHOUF, MECHREF AND DAMMOUR, LEBANON
- Country: Lebanon
- Topics: Disaster/Accidents,Fires
- Reuters ID: LVA002B17LG7B
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Wildfires that began on Monday (October 14) have burned swathes of Lebanon's forest and led to the death of at least one person, prompting Beirut to deploy water cannons and call on its neighbours for help.
The cause of the fire, which has spread from tree-lined swathes south of Beirut up to pine forests in the north, remains unknown, though some officials have blamed a heat wave that hit the country in recent days.
Speaking to reporters in Mechref, south of Beirut, which has seen some of the worst damage, Lebanese Environment Minister Fadi Jreissati said that at least one person had been killed. He called the situation "catastrophic" and urged people to be careful.
Lebanon's Red Cross said that 18 people have so far been hospitalised and 88 have received emergency medical care.
The fires have overpowered Lebanon's firefighters, prompting the country to call on neighbours to send aircraft to bolster efforts. So far Cyprus has sent helicopters and Greece has agreed to send two aircraft, Interior Minister Raya al-Hassan said.
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