As rampant inflation takes hold, Lebanon is at risk of collapse

The political elite must put their differences aside right now and come together to bail out this sinking ship, writes Bel Trew

A view of the damaged grain silos at the port of Beirut (AFP/Getty)

In the month I was away from Lebanon, the currency in my wallet lost nearly half its value and wasn’t enough to pay for a taxi home from the airport.

When I did eventually get back to my flat, I was greeted with a 600,000 lira generator bill for those four weeks, when I wasn’t even using any power. That is nearly £300 on the official exchange rate and is separate to my actual electricity bill – although that may not be much, given my neighbourhood is only getting an hour of electricity from the grid a day.

I do not write this to whinge about my own life. As a foreign correspondent, I enjoy the immense privilege of having access to foreign currency and the ability to leave Lebanon should I wish.