Abstract
On August 4th, 2020, at around 6 p.m., a warehouse in the port of Beirut containing 2 750 tons of ammonium nitrate exploded, causing the largest urban explosion since Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In the midst of this disaster, the Lebanese Red Cross (LRC) answered the call, and deployed its services throughout the affected area. In total, more than 4 000 patients were treated on site and more than 2 600 were transported to hospitals in Beirut and Mount Lebanon. During a time where Lebanon was deeply shaken by a stifling economic crisis and by the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenges encountered were critical. Documenting this event and evaluating the LRC's responses are key elements in improving disaster management. Given the uniqueness of the context, the lessons learned are numerous.