Beirut Blast Tore Up Thousands of Homes

  • W460
  • W460
  • W460

The gigantic explosion in Beirut on Tuesday tore through homes, blowing off doors and windows, toppling cupboards, and sent flying books, shelves, lamps and everything else.

Dozens were trapped under the wreckage and those who survived still cannot believe that they did.

Within a few tragic seconds, more than a quarter of a million people of the Lebanese capital's residents were left with homes unfit to live in. Around 6,200 buildings are estimated to be damaged.

When the first blast hit, Mona al-Shami and her sister hid under a table in their apartment in Qarantina, near the center of the explosions at Beirut port. Then came the second massive explosion. "Everything flew, everything exploded," al-Shami said. The sisters were both knocked unconscious for a few moments, before they woke up again to an apocalyptic scene.

"Thank God we are alive, but everything's gone, our home, car, everything," she says, breaking into tears as she stood in the middle of a bedroom littered with debris.

Said al-Assaad, 24, stands amid the destruction in his family home — a beautiful ground-floor traditional house in the historic district of Mar Mikhail facing the port.

He was in the mountains when the explosion happened. His family survived. But the neighborhood, buildings, shops, restaurants and balconies are all destroyed.

"Destruction like you never saw and will never see in your life. I never expected to see something like this, not even in a video game," he said.

"It is beyond words, something that cannot be described. "

Comments 3
Thumb lebnanfirst 08 August 2020, 17:48

Really, look in the mirror and you’re guaranteed an even worse scum reflection.

Default-user-icon Ameri-Leb (Guest) 08 August 2020, 18:40

All of you homeless should go and confiscate the homes of all these politicians who are hiding from the public. You are homeless and they are comfortable inside eating and drinking comfortably while you starve because you are not from on of the powerful families, so you are NOBODY. Their riches came from you all. GO TAKE YOUR ASSETS BACK! Leave all these politicians homeless, DO NOT SERVE THEM in restaurants & shops. Give them a taste of their own medicine!

Default-user-icon Ameri-Leb (Guest) 08 August 2020, 23:11

Don't worry, your homes are castles owned by the rich politicians. Yalla, go take your pick. Kick them out of YOUR HOMES they stole through theft and corruption and put them out on the streets so they feel what homeless is all about. NO ONE SELL THEM FOOD. Close the door in the politicians faces. Let they go hungry to feel what hunger really feels like. "An eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth".