A tractor clears the road at Dahr al-Baidar. (Credit: NNA)
Bad weather and falling temperatures have caused heavy snowfalls in the mountains over the past few days, blocking high mountain roads. According to the Road Traffic Control authority, the roads blocked by snow are as follows: Kfardebian – Hadath Baalbeck; Aqoura – Hadath Baalbeck; Ainata – Arez; Jurd Mrabbine – Hermel; Maasser Chouf – Kefraya.
The Dahr al-Baidar road, linking the coast to the Bekaa, is only passable for vehicles with four-wheel drive or metal chains. Similarly, the Tarshish-Zahle road is open to 4x4 vehicles.
The bad weather also caused numerous landslides. According to the state-run National News Agency (NNA), the Serjbel – Jahilieh (Chouf) road is completely closed before the Shamrine crossroads, due to landslides. On the other hand, work is continuing on the Dahr al-Baidar axis, despite difficult weather conditions, after the collapse of a retaining wall, according to the outgoing Minister of Public Works on X, Ali Hamieh.
In Serjbel, a landslide completely blocks the road. (Credit: NNA)
In the latest report published by the NNA on Thursday morning, the road accident control body recorded six injuries in five road accidents in the last 24 hours.
According to the meteorological services at Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport, temperatures will remain low on Thursday, accompanied by snowfall at altitudes of 1,000 meters and above, pending a gradual improvement over the coming days.
This article originally appeared in French in L'Orient-Le Jour.