BEIRUT, March 6 - A senior United Nations humanitarian official reported on Friday that roughly 100,000 people have sought refuge in collective shelters across Lebanon following a series of evacuation orders from Israeli forces. The guidance to leave combines a widening set of geographic directives that in the past 48 hours included Beirut's southern suburbs, areas under the control of Iran-backed groups, and parts of the eastern Bekaa Valley, after similar orders were issued for south Lebanon earlier in the week.
Imran Riza, the U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator in Lebanon, described the recent pattern of warnings and displacement as striking in scale. "What we saw in the last couple of days is, I would say ... unprecedented in terms of the scale here in Lebanon of the warnings, the displacement orders, and the reaction, the panic also, that this has all created," he said.
Riza provided specifics on shelter use and capacity, saying: "At the moment, there are about 100,000 people that are, as of this morning, in some 477 collective shelters. There are some 57 shelters that still have some space, but basically the capacity is being reached very, very quickly."
He highlighted that the displacement orders have produced pronounced panic and movement across the country, creating congestion and uncertainty about destinations. "We had people moving all over the place and not knowing where to go to. So yes, I think we’re going to have an increased number quite quickly," Riza said.
Riza also referenced displacement patterns from a prior conflict year, noting that more than a million people were uprooted in Lebanon during the 2024 conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, and that 75-80% of those displaced were not housed in formal shelters. He cautioned the likely outcome this time would follow a similar pattern: "This time again, the majority will not be in shelters probably," he said.
The U.N. coordinator's comments underscore an accelerating humanitarian challenge: a large number of internally displaced people, limited shelter availability, and rapid, unpredictable population movements following official evacuation directives. Local authorities and humanitarian actors face the immediate task of identifying additional safe locations and scaling support as displacement numbers rise.
Summary
Approximately 100,000 people are currently taking refuge in 477 collective shelters in Lebanon after Israeli evacuation orders expanded to include Beirut's southern suburbs and parts of the Bekaa Valley. Shelter capacity is approaching limits, and officials expect the displaced population to rise quickly amid confusion and travel gridlock.