Beirut (AFP)

Lebanon is plunged into a total blackout on Saturday after the shutdown of the activity of two major power plants due to lack of fuel, announced the national company Electricité du Liban (EDL).

Stuck in an unprecedented crisis, described by the World Bank as one of the worst in the history of the world since 1850, the country has been experiencing draconian power rationing for months, peaking at more than 22 hours a day, and struggling to import fuel, against the backdrop of a historic collapse of the national currency and a drying up of foreign currencies.

These cuts paralyze the lives of the population and several vital sectors, while the managers of private generators, who generally take over, also ration shops, hospitals and homes, as fuel becomes scarce.

"After the Deir Ammar plant was forced to shut down its electricity production yesterday morning due to the exhaustion of its diesel reserves, the Zahrani plant also shut down this afternoon for the same reason ", the EDL said in a statement.

This is the second total blackout reported by EDL since the beginning of the month.

For the first, the network was reestablished a few days later.

A source at the Ministry of Energy told AFP that efforts were being made "to find a solution to the problem".

In its statement, the EDL said an oil tanker was to arrive on Saturday evening and be unloaded early next week.

The international community is calling for urgent reforms from the Lebanese authorities, in particular for the EDL, a symbol of bad governance and the decay of public services in Lebanon.

Formed in September after 13 months of political wrangling, the new government is committed to initiating reforms in the electricity sector and gradually restoring public power.

The headquarters of the Lebanese Electricity Company (EDL) in Beirut on April 3, 2021 Anwar AMRO AFP / Archives

Lebanon is negotiating with Egypt and Jordan for the delivery of gas and electricity via Syria, while the Shiite movement Hezbollah has announced several deliveries of Iranian fuel in recent weeks to alleviate serious power and fuel shortages.

An agreement was also reached between the authorities and Iraq for the distribution of Iraqi oil to Lebanon in return for medical services.

© 2021 AFP