Gazing over wasteland, Beirutis mourn lost 'Lady of the World'

The damaged Lebanon's Electricity Company (EDL) headquarters are seen in the aftermath of an explosion at the port area in Beirut, Lebanon, August 16, 2020. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Over centuries, Beirut built its reputation as a cultural crossroads, a thriving port and a playground known as "the Paris of the Middle East". In just moments, much of it lay in ruins.

Now stunned residents come and stare at the heaps of rubble and twisted steel, contemplating all they have lost.