In the fallout of the devastating explosion in Beirut, May Abboud Melki sat at her piano surrounded by debris.
The 79-year-old played ‘Auld Lang Syne’ after thousands of tons of an called ammonium nitrate caused a massive explosion.
The video has gone viral on Facebook, which shows the juxtaposition of the tune with the destruction of her home.
May Abboud Melki and her family were not home during the explosion, , which has killed at least 135 people and injured 5,000.
Her granddaughter May-Lee Meliki shared the moment on Facebook less than a day after the explosion, describing the moment as “beauty from ashes.”
The explosion is "unquestionably" one of the largest non-nuclear blasts in history, according to calculations by .
A team from the University of Sheffield has calculated the strength of the blast which they say was the equivalent of 1,000 to 1,500 tonnes of TNT.
Homes several kilometres from the point of the blast have been severely damaged.
Lebanese port authorities and customs officials knew the chemical was being stored in the port, but despite warnings, action was not taken to remove it. Lebanon's national defence council has declared Beirut a disaster zone.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said one Australian had been killed and Australia's embassy had been "impacted significantly" in the explosion.
"We can report all of the staff there are well, but the building that the embassy is in has been significantly compromised. I'm pleased that apart from some cuts and scratches, our staff are all OK," he said.
