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Foreign aid arrives in a devastated Beirut

Facing devastation, help is arriving in Lebanon.

These Emergency aid flights from Italy and Russia touching down in Beirut carrying medical personnel and supplies, less than two days after a catastrophic explosion leveled the city’s port area and destroyed large sections of the Lebanese capital.

French President Emmanuel Macron also arrived Thursday, promising to help organize international efforts while warning Lebanon's authorities that they need to address the corruption within.

“The first victim (of this crisis) is the Lebanese people. It requires an extremely quick reaction. So for me, this visit is also an opportunity for frank dialogue, a demanding one, with political leaders and Lebanese institutions."

The death toll reached at least 145 by Thursday but dozens are still missing.

Up to a quarter of a million people have been left without habitable homes.

Preliminary investigations blame the explosion on "inaction and negligence", saying "nothing was done" to remove tons of ammonium nitrate from the port.

Local officials have denied the incident was the result of an attack.

Many Beirut citizens are still processing what happened, not least Israa Seblani, the Lebanese bride whose wedding photo shoot was so shockingly interrupted.

A day later, she and her husband told Reuters about their unimaginable experience on what should have been such a happy occasion.

“I feel so sad. Trust me what you are seeing now the smile and everything, wasn't there totally yesterday. I was shocked, I was wondering what happened, am I going to die. How I'm going to die."

Lebanon’s hospitals are overwhelmed by thousands of injured people, while other care facilities were themselves put out of action by the explosion.

At Saint George Hospital the ceiling caved in, killing four nurses.

The people of Lebanon are used to suffering, through decades of war and civil unrest.

After this latest tragedy, among the material and personal loss, came a song.

Beirut resident Hoda Melki captured a touching video of her mother playing the piano surrounded by the debris of her damaged apartment.