The Charity Report

... creating a space that gets people talking

Shop Intelligence Reports

Beirut explosion stops time

(August 21, 2020) According to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), 250 thousand people have been left homeless by the explosion at the port of Beirut. The Beirut explosion left more than 160 dead, 6,000 injured, 300,000 homeless, including 100,000 children without shelter. More are missing.

“Hospitals close to the Beirut explosion have been heavily damaged as has electricity and water services. Hospitals that were already overwhelmed by the coronavirus pandemic have been damaged and we found first aid workers performing triages in vehicle waiting areas.Those who have been able to leave the city have done so,” says ICRC.

The Beirut explosion destroyed the city’s port, devastating of Lebanon’s ability to import goods. Humanitarian aid will be harder to deliver to the people Lebanon and neighbouring Syria.  

The following photos, courtesy of the ICRC, are powerful and poignant, and show the devastating impact of the Beirut explosion According to Hassan Diab, Lebanon’s Prime Minister, the explosion was caused by the detonation of 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate that he said had been stored unsafely at a warehouse in the port.

St. Georges Hospital, the time froze at 6:07 PM in the hospital’s nursery. 
(Photo by Miriam Atallah, ICRC)
Gemmayze Street, this car belongs to the man in the photo, Ahmad Ibrahim Kaadan. He was trying to sell his car before he died in the explosion.
(Photo by Miriam Atallah, ICRC)
Beirut Port, a capsized ship.
(Photo by Kiran Shankar, ICRC)
Damaged door of the nursery at St. Georges Hospital, Beirut.
(Photo by Miriam Atallah, ICRC)
Beirut Port, the rear view of the ship that has been turned upside down, and rescuers searching.
(Photo by Kiran Shankar, ICRC)
Beirut Port, total destruction of vehicles.
(Photo by Kiran Shankar, ICRC)
Karantina area, a destroyed home and a loaf of bread. It symbolizes two of Beirut’s distressing situations – the explosion and the ongoing financial crisis. (Photo by Miriam Atallah, ICRC)
Karantina area, people trying to clean and rebuild.
(Photo by Miriam Atallah, ICRC)
A photo of Miriam Atallah, ICRC Field Communication Officer taking photos of the damage in Karantina. 
(Photo by Charbel Barakat, ICRC)

Feature Photo

A stopped clock at the nursery of St. Georges Hospital. The Beirut explosion happened at 6.07pm on Tuesday August 4th.
(Photo by Charbel Barakat, ICRC)

Related

Photo Essay: Hand washing with finesse (April 15, 2020)