In pictures: Deserted streets around the world

A man holds a pocket watch at noon, in front of an almost empty market near the Imam Ali shrine in Najaf, Iraq — Image caption

A market near the Imam Ali shrine in Najaf, Iraq.

Reuters photographers have captured the silent streets and stations of the world amid the lockdown, with each photo taken at midday.

Transport hubs and high streets that were once some of the world’s busiest places are shown nearly deserted amid the many lockdowns happening around the globe owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

All photos were taken at midday on 31 March and feature a wristwatch or clock showing the time.

A pocket watch seen in Martyrs' Square in Beirut, Lebanon — Image caption

Martyrs’ Square in Beirut, Lebanon

A wristwatch showing noon with Tahrir Square, Cairo, in the background — Image caption

Tahrir Square, Cairo, Egypt.

A digital clock on a smartphone is pictured in front of Brandenburg gate, Berlin, Germany. — Image caption

Brandenburg Gate, Berlin, Germany.

A photographer wearing a watch at noon in front of the Houses of Parliament on Westminster Bridge, in London, UK — Image caption

The Houses of Parliament on Westminster Bridge, London, UK.

The clock strikes noon at the main concourse of the Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan in New York — Image caption

Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan, New York, US

The clock on Spasskaya tower showing the time at noon, is pictured next to Moscow's Kremlin, and St. Basil's Cathedral — Image caption

The Kremlin and St Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow, Russia.

A watch showing the time at noon in front of Bolivar Avenue in Caracas, Venezuela — Image caption

Bolivar Avenue in Caracas, Venezuela.

A mobile phone showing the time at noon in front of the United States Capitol, Washington, US — Image caption

United States Capitol, Washington, DC

A watch showing the time at noon in front of the Roman amphitheatre in Amman, Jordan — Image caption

A Roman amphitheatre in Amman, Jordan.

A clock showing the time at noon is seen near almost empty streets at Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) in Kiev, Ukraine — Image caption

Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) in Kyiv, Ukraine.

A watch showing the time at noon in front of a beach in the northern Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories — Image caption

A beach in the northern Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories.

A clock showing the time at noon by The State Hermitage museum in front of Palace square in Saint Petersburg, Russia — Image caption

The State Hermitage Museum in front of Palace Square in St Petersburg, Russia.

A clock showing the time at noon at Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram (The Temple of the Emerald Buddha, also known as The Grand Palace) in Bangkok, Thailand — Image caption

Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram (the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, also known as the Grand Palace) in Bangkok, Thailand.

A man wearing a protective face mask takes a photo with his mobile phone at noon, at Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo, Japan — Image caption

Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo, Japan.

All photographs subject to copyright

source: bbc.com