Flood of refugees grows

The number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon has reached 453,000, an increase of 9,000 since last week, according to the weekly report of the United Nations Higher Council for Refugees.

So far, up to 343,000 Syrian refugees have been registered with the agency, with more than 110,000 waiting for their registration process to be completed. The majority of Syrian refugees found shelter in northeastern Lebanon, with the Greater Beirut area accommodating more than 48,000 refugees. Lebanon faces increasing pressure from the influx of Syrian refugees, calling for more international financial aid. In January, Lebanon appealed for $370 million from Arab countries to address the issue. The UN special envoy to Lebanon, Derek Plumbly, has said more resources are needed to assist the refugees.

Xinhua

(China Daily 05/06/2013 page12)