UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations gave a grim warning Wednesday that Lebanon faces an explosion of social tensions unless the international community helps to handle hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees.



Lebanon’s President Michel Sleiman told foreign ministers from the world’s leading nations that his country faces an “existential crisis” because of the influx fleeing the war between President Bashar Al-Assad and opposition rebels.



He said major financing was needed to pay for the refugees, reinforce public services because of the burden and bolster the army.



The Syria conflict will cost Lebanon $7.5 billion from 2012 to 2014, according to an estimate given by World Bank president Jim Yong Kim to the meeting held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.



The UN says there are already 760,000 Syrians registered in Lebanon and there will be one million by the end of the year. Lebanon’s government estimates there are already 1.2 million with many not bothering to register.



It is says there will soon be a strain on electricity supplies and is having to start school lessons by shifts to cope with an extra 90,000 Syrian children.



Kim said there was already “fierce” competition for jobs between Lebanese and Syrians.



He said that by the end of 2014 there could be 200,000-300,000 more Lebanese unemployed which would double the unemployment rate to more than 20%.



“Without question social tensions could increase as competition for jobs and services intensifies,” he added.



“If we do not act decisively, now and fast, the Lebanon that we know today will not resemble the Lebanon that we will see tomorrow,” Kim warned.



Antonio Guterres, UN high commissioner for refugees said: “I do not recall any country having suffered a more dramatic impact in its economy and in its society by an inflow of refugees than Lebanon today.”



Guterres and other officials and ministers praised the “the extreme generosity” of Lebanon in keeping its borders open to refugees during the 30-month-old war.



Lebanon “has been to a large extent left alone by the international community and this needs to change,” he added.



Guterres said other countries had to take in Syrian refugees to ease the burden. Germany has already agreed to take 5,000 Syrians.



US Secretary of State John Kerry said “we are deeply concerned by the rising number of terrorist attacks and security incidents inside Lebanon and Hezbollah’s brazen intervention into the Syrian conflict.”



The Shiite militia that is the dominant political force in Lebanon has sent fighters to help Assad in the neighboring country.



US President Barack Obama announced $74 million of extra humanitarian assistance for Lebanon in a meeting with Sleiman on Tuesday. The US administration is negotiating with Congress to find another $30 million. — AFP