In Pictures

In Pictures: Damaged homes, shattered dreams in Beirut

More than a quarter of a million people in Beirut were left with homes unfit to live in after the massive explosion.

Farah Mahmoud, wrapped in Lebanese national flag, checks her parents destroyed apartment after Tuesday''s explosion in the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020. The gigantic explosion in — Farah Mahmoud, wrapped in a Lebanese flag, checks her parents' destroyed apartment. Estimates say 6,200 buildings were damaged. [Hassan Ammar/AP Photo]

Tuesday’s massive explosion in Beirut tore through thousands of homes, blowing off doors and windows, toppling cupboards, and sending books, shelves, lamps and everything else flying.

Dozens of people were trapped under the wreckage, and survivors could not believe they managed to stay alive.

Within seconds, more than a quarter of a million of the Lebanese capital’s residents were left with homes unfit to live in.

Estimates say 6,200 buildings were damaged.

After the first explosion, Mona al-Shami and her sister hid under a table in their apartment in Qarantina, near the explosions at Beirut port.

Then came the second explosion.

“Everything flew, everything exploded,” al-Shami said. The sisters were briefly knocked unconscious before waking up to an apocalyptic scene.

“Thank God we are alive, but everything’s gone, our home, car, everything,” she said, bursting 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 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 neighbourhood, 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.”

Alain Shoucair, 38, poses for a photograph as he holds his broken guitar at his destroyed apartment after Tuesday''s explosion in the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020. The gigantic ex — Alain Shoucair, 38, holds his broken guitar at his destroyed apartment. A host of nations have pledged nearly $300m in humanitarian assistance to Lebanon at a conferenceto rally international support for the crisis-hit country. [Hassan Ammar/AP Photo]

Sandrine Zeinoun, 34, poses for a photograph inside her destroyed apartment after Tuesday''s explosion in the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020. The gigantic explosion in Beirut on Tue — Sandrine Zeinoun, 34, inside what is left of her apartment. [Hassan Ammar/AP Photo]

Waleed Mokbel, 78, poses for a photograph inside his destroyed apartment after Tuesday''s explosion in the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020. The gigantic explosion in Beirut on Tuesda — Waleed Mokbel, 78, poses inside his apartment after Tuesday's explosion in the seaport of Beirut. [Hassan Ammar/AP Photo]

Fouad Armali smokes water-pipe in his destroyed apartment at Gemmayzeh neighborhood, which suffered extensive damage from the Tuesday''s explosion at the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2 — Fouad Armali smokes a water-pipe in his destroyed apartment in Gemmayzeh neighborhood, which suffered extensive damage. [Hassan Ammar/AP Photo]

Mona Al Chami, poses for a photograph inside her destroyed apartment after Tuesday''s explosion in the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020. The gigantic explosion in Beirut on Tuesday to — "Thank God, we are alive, but everything's gone, our home, car, everything," said Mona al-Shami, bursting into tears as she stood in the middle of a bedroom littered with debris.[Hassan Ammar/AP Photo]

Said Al Assaad, 24, poses for a photograph inside his grandfather''s destroyed villa after Tuesday''s explosion in the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020. The gigantic explosion in Beiru — Said al-Assaad, 24, inside his grandfather's destroyed house. "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." [Hassan Ammar/AP Photo]

Fares Khalife, poses for a photograph outside his destroyed apartment and shop after Tuesday''s explosion in the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020. The gigantic explosion in Beirut on — Fares Khalife sits outside his destroyed apartment and shop. The massive explosion in Beirut tore through buildings, blowing off doors and windows, toppling cupboards, and sent books, shelves, lamps and everything else flying. [Hassan Ammar/AP Photo]

Hasan Al Armali, holds a wall clock that was stoped working at the time of the Tuesday''s explosion in the seaport of Beirut, poses for a photograph at his bedroom inside his destroyed apartment, in Be — Hasan al-Armali holds a clock that stopped working at the time of the explosion. Within a few seconds, more than a quarter of a million people were left with homes unfit to live in. [Hassan Ammar/AP Photo]

George Abdo, 58, poses for a photograph inside his destroyed apartment after Tuesday''s explosion in the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020. The gigantic explosion in Beirut on Tuesday — George Abdo, 58, sitting on a sofa inside his destroyed apartment. [Hassan Ammar/AP Photo]

Found Armali sits inside his destroyed apartment after Tuesday''s explosion in the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020. The gigantic explosion in Beirut on Tuesday tore through homes, bl — Fouad Armali in his destroyed apartment. [Hassan Ammar/AP Photo]