The aftermath of the massive explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, yesterday is already under way. Aki Kauppinen, Deputy Head of the Embassy of Finland in Lebanon, told MTV News about the latest moods on the spot.
Watch the video above to see what the Finnish embassy now looks like.
According to Kauppinen, the situation in Beirut is now much calmer than yesterday.
– Lebanese are very adaptable and adaptable, especially Beirut. They are here to return to a normal circadian rhythm. The damage is already being repaired in many places, the windows are being replaced and the streets have been cleaned up already during the night, he describes.
Fear has not taken over the city either.
– You must always be aware of the risks when moving around the world, but there is no atmosphere of fear here at the moment. There is more grief among the locals and our workers ’friends have also experienced losses. The mourning period is underway.
The Finnish Embassy is temporarily relocating to other premises
About 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate exploded in the port, says Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab, according to his representative. In addition, information has been circulated in the public about welding at the exploded warehouse.
– So far, there is no more detailed information about the reason, Kauppinen states.
The Finnish embassy is located within a kilometer of the blast site and therefore suffered extensive damage.
– The damage here is quite significant, it is currently being analyzed and we are discussing operating options with our real estate staff, Kauppinen says.
– In particular, the side facing the port has suffered. All facilities have some sort of assessment or cleaning already underway.
According to Kauppinen, it is not possible to work on the premises for the time being, and the delegation will continue to operate in the temporary premises.
– Of course, we will go ahead with the safety of the personnel, ie we will temporarily move to other premises, but these premises will be repaired and cleared. We will then assess what the next steps are for our premises.
– At the moment, it seems that the premises are repairable.
No big worries for Finns
The embassy has not had time for wider discussions with Finns in the area, but the situation seems good.
– According to the notifications we have received, there have been no significant concerns.
Kauppinen’s own work also changed with the explosion.
– Diplomacy is sometimes like this and all kinds of conditions come against him, he sums up.