Search
Search

WEATHER

Lebanon sees much-awaited snowfall, yet flooded roads

A thick layer of snow covered the mountains in Akkar governorate, L'Orient Today's correspondent reported. 

Lebanon sees much-awaited snowfall, yet flooded roads

A village in Akkar governorate, northern Lebanon, covered in snow on Jan. 31, 2023. (Credit: Michel Hallak)

BEIRUT — After a long wait for the season's first heavy snowfall, Lebanon's mountains, especially in the north, were covered in snow on Tuesday, L'Orient Today's correspondent there reported.

The much-awaited snowfall at high altitudes was accompanied by stormy weather closer to sea level, causing some roads to flood across Lebanon, where infrastructure is chronically defective.

According to our correspondent in the north, snow covered the mountains in Qammouaa, Akkar governorate, at an altitude of more than 1,200 meters, reaching a height of 25 cm. Teams from the Ministry of Public Works have reportedly been working since 6 a.m. to clear the snow-covered roads.

Excavators working to clear snow from roads in Akkar, Jan. 31, 2023. (Courtesy of Michel Hallak)

Khaled Dib, chairman of the snow clearing center in the Jurd al-Qaytaa region in Akkar, said roads leading to Baalbeck-Hermel were completely blocked on Tuesday morning, including the Qammouaa-Marjahin-Hermel and Qammouaa-Chanbouk-Qobeyate axes.

Our correspondent in the Bekaa Valley found snowfall in the Baalbeck-Hermel area from dawn, at an altitude of 1,100m. Between three and 10 centimeters of snow accumulated in the area. High inland roads were impassable to traffic, except for off-road vehicles or those equipped with chains.

UNHCR warned in a tweet Tuesday morning that with temperatures below freezing, the winter storm meant "many Lebanese and refugees are struggling to protect their families from the cold weather."

Flooded roads

After unusually high temperatures this winter, Lebanon finally saw renewed heavy rains on Monday along the coast. The rainfall and the unprepared infrastructure led to floods blocking several roads on Tuesday morning, including in Hazmieh, just south of Beirut. The bad weather is expected to continue until next week, according to the Meteorological Department at the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation.

A flooded road in the Hazmieh neighborhood on the outskirts of Beirut, Jan. 31, 2023. (Screenshot of a video circulating on social networks)

In the south, several roads were also flooded by heavy rainfall, including those in Nabatieh, where hail covered the road reaching Khardali, according to local media. The stormy weather also damaged agricultural greenhouses. The Civil Defense and security forces called on people in the area to drive carefully.

Read more:

Will Lebanon have a ski season this year?

In Saida, South Lebanon, several roads were also blocked by floods carrying trash, as garbage collection in the city has been interrupted repeatedly in recent months.

Minister's warning

Caretaker Public Works Minister Ali Hamieh called on drivers to avoid the Dahr al-Baidar road Monday evening as several trucks were trapped in the area. The next morning, however, the Ministry of Public Works cleared the snow, making it accessible Tuesday morning to snow-equipped cars, but not trucks.

The Road Traffic Management Center said Tuesday morning that the Ainata-al-Arz, Chouf-Kefraya, Kfardebian-Hadath-Baalbeck, Akoura-Hadath-Baalbeck, Hermel-Dennieh and Hermel-Yammouneh roads were completely blocked by snow.

In a statement issued early Tuesday afternoon, the Ministry of Public Works called on motorists to avoid going to mountainous areas, except in emergencies. It added that vehicles must be well equipped before doing so and that trucks are prohibited from the roads if ice forms, to avoid possible accidents.

Reporting contributed by Michel Hallak and Sarah Abdallah

BEIRUT — After a long wait for the season's first heavy snowfall, Lebanon's mountains, especially in the north, were covered in snow on Tuesday, L'Orient Today's correspondent there reported.The much-awaited snowfall at high altitudes was accompanied by stormy weather closer to sea level, causing some roads to flood across Lebanon, where infrastructure is chronically defective.According to our...