Caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, on Monday convened a meeting at the Serail with Caretaker Minister of Environment, Nasser Yassin, the Secretary-General of the Supreme Defense Council, Major General Mohammad Mustafa, and the Secretary-General of the Higher Relief Committee, Major General Mohammad Al-Kheir. During the meeting, the initial survey results of the recent storm damages were presented.

Prime Minister Mikati instructed the ‘Disaster and Crisis Management Committee’ to gather and monitor the recent floods, making appropriate decisions regarding referring all encroachments on riverbeds to the competent judiciary.

Additionally, the committee is tasked with ensuring the continuity of opening major roads and monitoring post-storm citizen safety measures.

Following the instructions, the committee convened this morning, issuing preliminary recommendations for submission to the Prime Minister for appropriate decision-making.

The recommendations include:

– Assigning the Army and the Higher Relief
Committee to survey and assess damages in collaboration with municipalities and relevant administrations.

– Repairing and rehabilitating damaged infrastructure caused by the storm and floods, especially addressing landslides and removing obstacles on the road network to ensure public safety and transportation.

– Strictly enforcing suppression of violations on river properties and urging the judiciary to pursue encroachment offenders. Additionally, requesting the Ministry of Interior and municipalities to remove violations and ensuring adherence to water and environmental protection laws.

– Enhancing the response capabilities of Civil Defense General Directorate and firefighting squads, allocating necessary funds for this purpose.

– Collaborating with the National Council for Scientific Research to activate the early flood warning system and issue alerts through the council’s platform and media channels.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon