Beirut blasts: In a flash, explosion tore up thousands of homes

Fares Khalife outside his destroyed apartment and shop. 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.

Farah Mahmoud, wrapped in Lebanese national flag, checks her parent's destroyed apartment. Dozens were trapped under the wreckage and those who survived still cannot believe that they did.

Alain Shucair as he holds his broken guitar at his destroyed apartment. 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.

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.

Found Armali sits inside his destroyed apartment.

Sandrine Zeinoun, 34, inside her destroyed apartment.

Hasan Al Armali holds a wall clock that was stoped working at the time of the Tuesday's explosion.

Fouad Armali smokes water-pipe in his destroyed apartment at Gemmayzeh neighborhood, which suffered extensive damage.

Waleed Mokbel, 78, inside his destroyed apartment.

George Abdo, 58, inside his destroyed apartment.