Under Tarp and Trees: Lebanese Displaced by Conflict Endure Torrential Rains
By Ahmed Kerdi, Reuters
BEIRUT/SIDON, March 15 (Reuters) – Torrential rains on Sunday exposed the dire plight of Lebanon’s displaced, as families fleeing border hostilities were forced to take refuge under makeshift cover with formal shelters at capacity. The scenes underscored a deepening humanitarian crisis triggered by the latest escalation between Israel and Hezbollah.
Hussain Murtada, a father of five, has turned the bed of his small pickup truck into a temporary home for his family of seven. Parked along Sidon’s seafront, they huddled beneath a flimsy tarpaulin strung up with rope, their only shield against the downpour. Inside, an infant lay nestled among pillows and blankets—the family’s salvaged possessions.
"We’re soaked, so we tied this plastic sheet up," Murtada told Reuters, his voice strained. He fled Hanawiya, a town near the Israeli border, over a week ago. "I’ve asked at every school turned shelter. They’re all full. What else can I ask for? Just a roof for me and my children."
The conflict, reignited on March 2 after Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel, has forced more than 800,000 people—roughly 15% of Lebanon’s population—from their homes. It marks a grim return to war for a nation still recovering from the brief but destructive Israel-Hezbollah conflict of late 2022.
Lebanese authorities report only about 132,000 of the displaced are housed in collective shelters. The rest are scattered—staying with relatives, in unfinished buildings, or, like Mohammad Marie, in the open. Marie, who fled Nabatieh, was sheltering under a tree on Beirut’s Corniche until his plastic sheet was torn away by the wind.
"If it rains for a week, where do I go? I stay here. I have no tent, no money to rent. Nothing," said Marie, his clothes drenched. His situation reflects a widespread financial collapse compounding the displacement crisis.
The United Nations launched a $308 million flash appeal on Friday to address urgent needs. The Lebanese health ministry reported on Sunday that Israeli strikes have killed 850 people and wounded over 2,100 in Lebanon since March 2, including 107 children and 66 women. The toll does not distinguish between combatants and civilians. Israeli authorities report two soldiers killed in southern Lebanon, with no fatalities in Israel from Hezbollah rocket and drone attacks since the escalation began.
Analysis: The storm has laid bare the severe strain on Lebanon’s infrastructure and social services, already crippled by a four-year economic crisis. The new influx of displaced threatens to overwhelm host communities and could fuel longer-term social tension. With border exchanges continuing, prospects for a swift return home appear dim.
Voices from Readers:
Sarah Chen, Humanitarian Aid Worker (Beirut): "This is a catastrophic convergence—economic collapse, political paralysis, and now a new war. The international response must be immediate and substantial. These people aren’t just fleeing bullets; they’re facing exposure and disease."
David Fischer, Political Analyst (Tel Aviv): "While the human suffering is tragic, this crisis is a direct consequence of Hezbollah’s decision to open a front in support of Iran. It has dragged a vulnerable Lebanese population into a conflict they didn’t choose, further destabilizing the entire region."
Elena Rossi, Blogger & Activist (Milan): "Where is the global outrage? This is a deliberate humanitarian disaster playing out in real time. The world watches Syria, watches Gaza, and now turns a blind eye to Lebanon. The complicity of inaction is shameful."
Professor Karim Al-Jamil, Sociology Department, American University of Beirut: "We are witnessing the rapid erosion of community resilience. The social contract in Lebanon is broken. When the state fails to provide the most basic protection—shelter from rain—it deepens a profound sense of abandonment among citizens."