Images of a dust storm at Beirut port were circulated widely on Wednesday amid renewed health fears about residents’ exposure to carcinogenic asbestos fibres, about three months after a deadly blast destroyed thousands of buildings and killed at least 190 people.
“There are a lot of hazardous chemicals at the port, including asbestos,” said Najat Saliba, head of the atmospheric and analytical lab at the American University of Beirut.
Videos shared online showed clouds of dust rising several metres above the damaged port.
The National was not able to verify them independently.
Documents released by the United Nations after the August 4 explosion show that asbestos is one of many hazardous materials found at the port.
Other dangerous chemicals include hydrofluoric acid oxidizer – a highly corrosive chemical that removes stains from metal – and bleaching agents such as benzoyl peroxide and calcium hypochlorite.
The Lebanese authorities said that the blast was accidentally caused by a welder working in a warehouse where 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate were stored.
“If people are close to the area and see the dust coming their way, they should close their windows and not go outside,” Ms Saliba said.
People who do go out should wear double masks at least, she said.
In late August, leading experts told The National that there could be an increase in lung cancer cases in the coming years among residents and volunteers who helped clean up after the blast owing to asbestos exposure.
Some buildings that were constructed in the second half of the 20th century contain asbestos, particularly in suspended ceilings, corrugated cement roofs and water pipes.
However, their number is not known.
Some local journalists said that the dust storm reminded them of the port disaster.
Sky News producer Salman Andary posted pictures of the explosion online and said the dust storm “came as a message to everyone that they should never, ever forget what happened on August 4”.
Several fires that occurred at the port in recent weeks also raised concerns.
On September 10, a massive blaze engulfed the port for hours, causing panic among residents already traumatised by the explosion.
At the time, private companies said the fire was a result of lax oversight of repair work.
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Notable salonnières of the Middle East through history
Al Khasan (Okaz, Saudi Arabia)
Tamadir bint Amr Al Harith, known simply as Al Khasan, was a poet from Najd famed for elegies, earning great renown for the eulogy of her brothers Mu’awiyah and Sakhr, both killed in tribal wars. Although not a salonnière, this prestigious 7th century poet fostered a culture of literary criticism and could be found standing in the souq of Okaz and reciting her poetry, publicly pronouncing her views and inviting others to join in the debate on scholarship. She later converted to Islam.
Maryana Marrash (Aleppo)
A poet and writer, Marrash helped revive the tradition of the salon and was an active part of the Nadha movement, or Arab Renaissance. Born to an established family in Aleppo in Ottoman Syria in 1848, Marrash was educated at missionary schools in Aleppo and Beirut at a time when many women did not receive an education. After touring Europe, she began to host salons where writers played chess and cards, competed in the art of poetry, and discussed literature and politics. An accomplished singer and canon player, music and dancing were a part of these evenings.
Princess Nazil Fadil (Cairo)
Princess Nazil Fadil gathered religious, literary and political elite together at her Cairo palace, although she stopped short of inviting women. The princess, a niece of Khedive Ismail, believed that Egypt’s situation could only be solved through education and she donated her own property to help fund the first modern Egyptian University in Cairo.
Mayy Ziyadah (Cairo)
Ziyadah was the first to entertain both men and women at her Cairo salon, founded in 1913. The writer, poet, public speaker and critic, her writing explored language, religious identity, language, nationalism and hierarchy. Born in Nazareth, Palestine, to a Lebanese father and Palestinian mother, her salon was open to different social classes and earned comparisons with souq of where Al Khansa herself once recited.
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Fujairah 130 for 8 in 20 overs
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Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
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Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
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Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
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