It’s been over a week since the explosion at the Beirut port in Lebanon, and the damage to the people, economy and the city at large is insurmountable. The extent of the destruction is devastatingly visible in the form of this Audi dealership that’s been reduced to rubble in the aftermath. The image shared by Hildegard Wortmann – Member of the Board of Management of Audi AG for Marketing and Sales, shows the completely destroyed dealership surrounded by towers on either side with shattered glass. She further revealed that while the employees at the dealership are safe, many of them have lost their homes. Not just Audi but most auto dealerships and other businesses in areas close to the port have been destroyed due to the blast.
In a post on social media, Hildegard Wortmann wrote, “It is with great sorrow that I wish to express my deepest sympathy to our Audi team in Beirut and to everybody there who is suffering from this unbelievable tragedy. I have been in contact with Nabil Kettaneh, who is our Audi importer and partner in Beirut, immediately the morning after and so grateful to hear that everybody is safe while our dealership has been completely destroyed. Many of our team have lost their homes and their families have been impacted. Your grief is the grief of the whole Audi family worldwide. Our thoughts and compassion are with you and the victims’ families. May strength and confidence be with you!”
In fact, images and videos which emerged on the internet further show massive destruction to homes and cars. A video of what appears to be a dealership parking lot in the city shows damaged Audi vehicles that were ready to be delivered to customers, adding millions to the overall damage. Not just Audi, but other automakers have suffered equal levels of destruction. Carmakers including Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Suzuki, Ford, Seat among others took to social media to show support for the city.
The extent of damages as a result of the explosion has been estimated at about $10 billion so far and the number is only expected to go higher, according to a report by Bloomberg. As of August 11, the blast resulted in over 200 fatalities and 110 people are missing, with over 6000 injured. The explosion has also rendered over 200,000 people homeless or living with homes with shattered windows and doors. Beirut was also home to several refugees in the Middle-East that have once again been rendered homeless amidst the massive crisis.