UN reports 100,000 new displacements in Lebanon in one day
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said on Tuesday that more than 100,000 people were newly displaced in Lebanon within 24 hours as the conflict in the country continues to escalate.
In a statement, the UN agency said the lives of many people in Lebanon have been “turned upside down” amid the wider conflict in the Middle East, noting that the number of registered internally displaced persons across the country has surpassed 667,000.
According to UNHCR, the figure represents an increase of 100,000 people in a single day.
The agency cited government statistics indicating that about 120,000 displaced individuals are currently staying in shelters designated by the Lebanese government, while many others are still searching for a place to stay.
Carolina Lindholm Billing, UNHCR Representative in Lebanon, said that a significant number of displaced people have sought refuge with relatives or friends.
“Others are still looking for housing, and we see cars lined up along the streets with people sleeping in them and on the sidewalks,” she said.
The displacement comes as Lebanon faces intensified hostilities that have forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes in recent weeks.