August in Beirut

The Port Explosion in Beirut, Lebanon in 21 images

On August 4, 2020, Beirut, Lebanon experienced a massive explosion in the city’s port region, killing over 200 people, injuring thousands and garnering global headlines. Amidst the blast’s immediate aftermath, Adel Awad, a renown Lebanese beauty photographer living in Paris—an ex-pat who left the country during the height of Lebanon’s 1975 civil war—returned home to bear witness to his country’s seminal moment on the world stage. Joined by American photographer and documentary filmmaker, Jordan Campbell, the duo chronicled Beirut’s devastation and dramatic recovery efforts just days after the disastrous explosion. Together they interviewed notable aid groups in Beirut including MSF/Doctors Without Borders and International Mercy Corps but also documented smaller, grassroots organizations and individual volunteer efforts. Amidst the swirling shock and chaos the Lebanese people experienced last August, during the height of the global pandemic, they all shared the common goal of rebuilding Beirut, once described affectionately as “The Paris of the Middle East.”

All Photos: Jordan Campbell for Ramro Global

Lebanon is still reeling from the 8.4.20 Beirut Explosion. You can support and amplify the ongoing aid and humanitarian efforts in Lebanon by sharing this story and by visiting Doctors Without Borders Lebanon and International Mercy Corps to get involved.