Summary
Content
CONTENTS
1. SECURITY
2. AIR OPERATIONS
3. SEA
4. BORDER CROSSING AND CUSTOMS
5. INFRASTRUCTURE
6. TRANSPORT SECTOR
7. LOGISTICS (STOCKS)
8. MAPPING
9. OTHER
1. SECURITY
- The security situation across Lebanon remains tense but stable.
- Italy has offered to lead the international peacekeeping force to be deployed in support of the Lebanese Army, with a provision of 3,000 troops.
- Only small numbers of frontline troops from other European countries have been offered to date, largely due to demands for a clearer mandate.
- The access status of all major roads and border crossing points is now green to UN staff movements, with the exception of the Al-Aboudieh crossing.
- All participation in convoys or missions to this area must be fully MOSS compliant.
- 249 confirmed scatterable munitions locations have been identified in Lebanon. MACC SL has covered only 60% of the area of operations and have revised upwards their estimate of possible strikes from 200 to 300 plus. (source: UNMAS and MACCSL) The risk of UXO poses a major hazard for returning civilian populations and responding aid organisations alike. Further information can be found at www.maccsl.org.
- As of August 22nd, the National Demining Office reports 8 fatalities and 28 casualties due to UXO.
- The UN Mine Action Coordination Centre is to coordinate the expansion of clearance efforts, with new teams expected in Lebanon to build capacity for this task. Current estimations are that clearance may take up to 12 months to complete.
- Handicap International has also begun training Lebanese demining teams to assist in the process.
- UN aid convoys and UNDSS security patrols are accompanied by a MACC SL representative to guide and brief them on local cluster bomb locations. MACC SL also provides daily guides to all OCHA organised Joint Assessment Missions.
- UNJLC Hazards to Movement maps include the latest MACC SL information on cleared roads and explosive hazards, please see the map catalogue -->
2. AIR OPERATIONS
- Two German government C-160s have been deployed in Cyprus to provide airlift support to Beirut. The first rotation took place on August 22nd with a shipment of goods for WFP and WHO.
- Current plans are for one flight per day until September 4th and will include shipments for ICRC, UNHCR, WFP and Emercom.
3. SEA
- The WFP-chartered Anamcara arrived in Tyre yesterday (23/08/06) with a shipment of humanitarian supplies. After unloading, she will proceed to Limassol then Mersin to pick up cargo before returning to Beirut on August 28th.
- The Anamcara will be kept on rotation between Cyprus and Beirut until September 4th.
- The next sailing of the passenger vessel Vittoria between Cyprus and Beirut is due to take place on Friday, August 25th.
- For passenger booking details please click here -->
- Four GoL vessels, the Aphrodite, Psara, Rosetta and LPG are due to arrive in Beirut today (24/08/06) carrying fuel.
4. BORDER CROSSING AND CUSTOMS
- The only vehicles running on diesel generally authorised in Lebanon are trucks and buses, however an agreement has been reached through which these vehicles can now enter on reexport basis for the humanitarian community.
- For UN Agencies, vehicles will have 6 to 12 months temporary importation permits. NGOs will have 3 to 6 months. At the end of the validity period there is a possibility of renewal, but if vehicles are not exported after the final validity period ends they will be destroyed as stated by law.
- For customs clearance, port handling and transport information please see the customs section -->
5. INFRASTRUCTURE (Roads, Bridges, Rail, Ports, Airports, Warehouse)
- French Military engineers have started building temporary bridges on highways south of the capital, while Government crews have begun filling in the craters on bombed-out roads.
- Saad and Bahaeddine Al Hariri will provide funding for the reconstruction of nine bridges destroyed by Israeli strikes in the southern port city and its neighbouring areas. (Source: the Higher Relief Commission)
- A UNOSAT damage assessment of the Tyre region performed in support of OCHA has identified 530 damage sites in the area. Of this total, 156 were either destroyed or severely damaged. This includes:
115 general buildings
16 high-rise apartments
11 bridges
2 industrial buildings
2 irrigation canals
10 agricultural buildingsOf the remaining 374 impact sites, 212 were on roads, 108 in cultured fields and 54 in uncultivated fields.
For more information and full satellite images, please see: http://unosat.web.cern.ch/unosat/freeproducts/lebanon/UNOSAT_Damage_Overview_Map_Tyre_v1_0_lowres.jpg.
- Contracts have been signed between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the mayors of the Bint Jbeil and Tyre districts for rubble clearance, road and building repair projects in 21 villages.
- UNJLC has been advised by the Ministry of Public Works that the ministry will not prioritize bridge repair in the short term, but rather focus major effort on optimizing detours.
6. LOGISTICS COORDINATION
- The Logistics Cluster meeting in Beirut will now be held 3 times a week as of today, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8:00 at the Movenpick hotel.
7. LOGISTICS (STOCKS)
CONVOY MOVEMENTS
Wednesday 23rd of August:
- 13 WFP trucks to Deir Mimas carrying wheat flour, canned meat, vegetable oil, high energy biscuits, lentilles and pasta
- 3 WFP trucks to Haret Hreik (South Beirut) carrying high energy biscuits, canned vegetables, lentilles and vegetable oil
- 10 UNICEF trucks + 1 PU to Marjeyoun carrying wheat flour, high energy biscuits, canned meat, vegetable oil, pasta and lentilles
- 1 UNICEF truck to Tyre carrying bottled water
- 6 UNHCR trucks to Masnaa to pick up cargo
- For details on the latest convoys please click here -->
- In addition to reconstruction materials needed for the recovery, southern villages are in urgent need of water, NFI and medical supplies.
- Donations of old clothing are not accepted in Lebanon.
8. MAPPING
- UNJLC has posted its series of Hazards to Movement maps for the 10 Cazas (counties) south of Beirut. These maps represent a compilation of updated information on road and bridge status and explosive hazards, cleared rotes and villages.
- The UNJLC/VVAF GIS section has undertaken the task of reconciling the significant amounts of bridge damage and destruction data being issued. Bridge damage assessments are being generated remotely by the UNOSAT and US Government through satellite image interpretation. These data sets identify locations but do not provide local naming and other descriptive information. Meanwhile, Government of Lebanon reporting comes from multiple ministries and provides good descriptive information, however it often lacks precise locational information to allow for unique identification on maps. Once completed, this reconciliation will provide for much greater accuracy in all maps of the affected area.
- For all UNJLC maps of Lebanon please see the UNJLC map centre -->
9. OTHER
- UNJLC will have a presence in Tyre as of Thursday, August 24th.
- Atlas Logistique will manage the Rubhalls provided by WFP in Marjeyoun, Nabatiye, Bint Jbeil and Hasbaya.
- With the end of the acute emergency phase and the return of most of the displaced population, MSF will be scaling down activities. Its fixed clinic in Saïda has already ceased operations, and the one in Tyre will close down this week.