LEBANON (Enmaeya News) - December 10, 2025

A section of the Litani River turned red in recent days near the town of Bednayel in the Bekaa Valley after being polluted by blood discharged from several nearby slaughterhouses, according to L'Orient Today.

The incident came to light after a resident filed a formal complaint reporting the presence of an illegal dumping site in Bednayel and the spread of red-colored wastewater close to residential areas. The unusual discoloration raised environmental and public health concerns among locals.

Following the complaint, a technical team from the National Litani Office conducted a field inspection of the site, accompanied by members of the security forces. Preliminary findings indicated that blood originating from multiple slaughterhouses in the area had flowed into one of the Litani River’s tributaries, contaminating the waterway.

Authorities are currently preparing an official report detailing the findings of the inspection. The report will be submitted to relevant ministries and agencies to determine responsibility and to trigger appropriate legal and environmental measures against the violators.

In a previous effort to curb pollution, the Ministry of Industry shut down dozens of unlicensed factories along the Litani in a 2018 campaign.