The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has information about the deaths of at least three children in the Beirut blast, and at least 31 children need hospitalization, Marixie Mercado, UNICEF spokesperson in Geneva reported.

The statement runs as follows:

We are a long way from having comprehensive figures on deaths and injuries among children. For now, we know of at least three children killed and 31 children who required hospitalisation. Partners report approximately a thousand children among the injured.

Some injured children were initially separated from their families and have since been reunited. Two are still separated from their parents and are now with extended family and are part of case management services for alternative care.

Preliminary findings from assessments conducted with Beirut and Mount Lebanon Water Establishment teams indicate no major damage so far to the water network.

But many households do not have access to safe water supply because of damage to the connections between water sources and buildings, and within buildings. The WASH cluster coordinated by UNICEF has surveyed 558 buildings out of an estimated 3,000 that were affected. Of the 558 buildings, 337 are accessible, and of them, 135 do not have access to water.

Further assessments on education indicate that 20 public technical and vocational education and training schools that cater around 8,000 adolescents and young persons have also damaged, in addition to the 120 public and private schools we spoke of on Friday.