Sarah Hunter, a freelance photo journalist who has been living and working in the city for the past six months, has made the decision to remain as a bloody conflict between Lebanon and Israel escalates.
Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph yesterday, the 32-year-old woman, originally from Crawfordsburn, spoke of her sadness at the spreading violence which has transformed the streets of her adopted home into a virtual ghost town in just a matter of days.
"It's a wonderful city and it's so incredibly sad that it had started to rebuild itself and was looking forward to a period of growth and now this has happened," she said.
"People are just so unsure and no-one knows what is going to happen, but I have decided that I'm going to stay. I'm a journalist, so it's my job."
The country has been plunged into crisis amid a developing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah fighters based in the south of the country.
Ms Hunter said hundreds of UK citizens were at the British Embassy when she was there yesterday morning as attempts continued to evacuate the thousands of registered British citizens currently living in Lebanon.
Beirut airport is currently closed following Israeli air strikes. There is also a naval blockade of all ports and the main Beirut-Damascus highway is closed.
Despite this, a convoy of about 100 Irish citizens crossed the border out of Lebanon yesterday and arrived in neighbouring Syria. They were due to meet with officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs who were to make arrangements for their return to Ireland.
The evacuation of British citizens from Lebanon also began yesterday morning with a helicopter airlift of 40 'high priority' individuals.
As one of the people who have decided to remain in Beirut, Ms Hunter spent yesterday preparing for survival in a country which may soon be ravaged by a full-scale war.
"I'm just about to go out to the shops to get batteries, candles and water and food while the shops are still open," she said.
"It's so strange because yesterday the streets were deserted and today everyone is out, either fleeing the city or rushing to shops to get supplies, so it's almost as though it's a normal day."
