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The head of the emergency department at LAU Medical Centre-Rizk Hospital in Beirut said her medical staff were faced with injuries “never seen before” after the pagers attack across Lebanon.
Dr Mariana Helou told The National about the overwhelming and unprecedented numbers of injuries the team had to treat.
“Some came in with their eyes pierced, their eyes filled with blood or missing fingers,” she said. “Most had both injuries at once. Hundreds of people have lost their sight and fingers, and are now disabled for life.”
Two waves of explosions on Tuesday and Wednesday on communication devices killed 37 people including two children and a healthcare worker. Thousands more were injured across the country. Dr Helou said that almost all the injuries on Tuesday were extremely critical – about 30 patients from all over Lebanon, primarily young men aged between 20 and 40. The attacks were widely believed to have been carried out by Israel despite it not claiming responsibility.
On Tuesday afternoon, hundreds of pagers, mostly belonging to Hezbollah members, exploded almost simultaneously. CCTV footage showed the devices suddenly detonating in supermarkets and the hands or pockets of users. The next day, a similar series of explosions struck walkie-talkies during the funerals for some of the victims of Tuesday's attack.
UN Human Rights Chief, Volker Turk, called for an independent investigation into the mass explosions on Wednesday. “The fear and terror unleashed is profound,” he said.
Human Rights Watch also called on Wednesday for a “prompt and impartial investigation” into the attacks saying that international humanitarian laws ban the use of booby traps because it can put civilians at risk.
The series of attacks spread chaos throughout the country and overwhelmed hospitals. On Tuesday sirens could be heard in Beirut late into the night.
“We had to prioritise the most severe cases in the “red” category, but all patients were in a critical state, except one,” said Dr Helou.
One of her patients, a boy, arrived with part of his brain exposed from the blast. He was in cardiac arrest, she recalled. “We tried to resuscitate him several times, but we couldn’t save him,” she said.
“We performed 19 surgeries non-stop from 5pm until the following morning.”
She said that most people had similar injuries to their eyes and hands, to the point that it was difficult to differentiate between them had they not been numbered. The hospital was treating 35 patients on Thursday, with some still undergoing surgeries.
Over two days, the hospital treated about 50 patients, and had to refer 30 cases to other hospitals due to the number of cases. “We had so many patients, and our floors were full of wounded,” Dr Helou said.
Hospitals in Lebanon have been accustomed to war surgery since 1975, but this opened a new chapter for us
Sami Rizk,
chief executive of LAU Medical Center
“This is entirely new to us in the context of war medicine,” Sami Rizk, the chief executive of the hospital told The National.
“Hospitals in Lebanon have been accustomed to war surgery since 1975, but this opened a new chapter for us,” he said.
He said the challenge will be to find prosthetics for about 500 people who have lost their eyes, adding that Firas Abiad, Lebanon's caretaker minister of health discussed this issue with him on a visit to the hospital.
“Many patients had facial disfigurements – ears, foreheads, and cheeks, they are somewhat repairable. But the eyes – the eyes are not,” he said.
For many medics, the attacks evoked memories of the Beirut port blast that killed over 220 people.
“This isn’t the first time I’ve seen injuries like this; it reminded me of August 4. We learnt so much from that day,” said an emergency doctor at one of the Beirut hospitals, who requested to remain anonymous.
“Only God knows what we will face next,” Mr Rizk said.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
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- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
Rafael Nadal's record at the MWTC
2009 Finalist
2010 Champion
Jan 2011 Champion
Dec 2011 Semi-finalist
Dec 2012 Did not play
Dec 2013 Semi-finalist
2015 Semi-finalist
Jan 2016 Champion
Dec 2016 Champion
2017 Did not play
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
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Results
2pm: Handicap Dh 90,000 1,800m; Winner: Majestic Thunder, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
2.30pm: Handicap Dh120,000 1,950m; Winner: Just A Penny, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
3pm: Handicap Dh105,000 1,600m; Winner: Native Appeal, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
3.30pm: Jebel Ali Classic Conditions Dh300,000 1,400m; Winner: Thegreatcollection, Adrie de Vries, Doug Watson.
4pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,600m; Winner: Oktalgano, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.
4.30pm: Conditions Dh250,000 1,400m; Winner: Madame Ellingtina, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
5pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,600m; Winner: Mystery Land, Fabrice Veron, Helal Al Alawi.
5.30pm: Handicap Dh85,000 1,000m; Winner: Shanaghai City, Jesus Rosales, Rashed Bouresly.
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If you go
Flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh with a stop in Yangon from Dh3,075, and Etihad flies from Abu Dhabi to Phnom Penh with its partner Bangkok Airlines from Dh2,763. These trips take about nine hours each and both include taxes. From there, a road transfer takes at least four hours; airlines including KC Airlines (www.kcairlines.com) offer quick connecting flights from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville from about $100 (Dh367) return including taxes. Air Asia, Malindo Air and Malaysian Airlines fly direct from Kuala Lumpur to Sihanoukville from $54 each way. Next year, direct flights are due to launch between Bangkok and Sihanoukville, which will cut the journey time by a third.
The stay
Rooms at Alila Villas Koh Russey (www.alilahotels.com/ kohrussey) cost from $385 per night including taxes.
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
