Several buildings evacuated in north Lebanon's Tripoli after deadly collapse

Several buildings were evacuated on Monday in Tripoli, northern Lebanon, after two adjoining structures collapsed, killing at least 15 people, as authorities announced emergency measures amid mounting anger over years of state neglect.

The final body was recovered from the rubble in the Bab al-Tebbaneh neighbourhood on Monday morning, with civil defence teams confirming that search and rescue operations had ended. The victims included children as young as three, as well as entire families.

Civil Defence Director General Imad Khreiss said eight people were rescued alive from the debris.

The collapse marked the second such incident in Tripoli in recent weeks amid a growing danger posed by ageing and poorly maintained buildings.

The disaster prompted the resignation of Tripoli's municipal council, after the city's mayor said the situation was beyond the municipality's control and placed responsibility squarely on the central government.

More evacuations

In Qalamoun, south of Tripoli, the municipality ordered residents of a housing complex sheltering more than 200 people to evacuate after cracks and structural damage were discovered.

Some residents initially refused to leave, citing the lack of alternative housing, while community members warned that the building posed a serious risk and urged families to evacuate to avoid another deadly collapse.

Local sources said additional buildings were evacuated in several Tripoli neighbourhoods, including Bab al-Raml, Nejmeh Square, the Abu Ali River Bridge area and Qobbeh.

The Lebanese army sealed off the road near the Abu Ali Bridge after evacuating a threatened building, following reports of cracks in load-bearing columns and audible structural failures.

Warning shots were fired to prevent crowds from approaching unstable sites.

Emergency measures

Following an emergency cabinet session on Monday evening, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said authorities had identified 114 buildings at risk of collapse, with evacuations to be carried out in phases over no more than one month. Families forced from their homes will receive housing allowances for one year.

Temporary shelter centres have been identified across North Lebanon, with additional sites to be secured if needed.

The social affairs ministry will oversee assistance and enrol displaced families in the Aman social protection programme, while the public health ministry would cover healthcare needs.

The Higher Relief Committee will begin reinforcing buildings that can still be stabilised and demolishing those deemed beyond repair, while a wider survey of at-risk structures will be completed in coordination with the Order of Engineers.

A chronic crisis

Tripoli Mayor Abdulhamid Karimeh said unsafe buildings in the city were the result of decades of neglect, weak oversight, construction violations and the absence of meaningful maintenance, exacerbated by restrictive rent laws that discourage repairs.

Many buildings, he said, are between 60 and 70 years old and have exceeded their structural lifespan, leaving residents exposed to deadly risks the municipality cannot address alone.

While authorities have surveyed hundreds of buildings and allocated limited funds, residents say little has changed on the ground. Some continue to refuse evacuation, fearing homelessness more than collapse.

Tripoli, Lebanon’s second-largest and poorest city, has been repeatedly described by residents as abandoned by the state, a reality compounded by the country's economic collapse and the wider strain imposed by regional instability and repeated Israeli attacks on Lebanon.

Tensions ran high on Sunday night, with protests breaking out in parts of the city. Residents told local media they felt left to suffer the consequences of corruption, neglect and political indifference.