A truck is driving as heavy rains fall on the village of Akroum, in Akkar, North Lebanon, on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. Photo provided by our correspondent in the region, Michel Hallak.
The cold air mass moving into Lebanon from Turkey, which had been forecast to affect the country this weekend, was significantly impacting North Lebanon on Saturday, bringing strong winds, heavy rain, thunderstorms and dense fog to higher elevations, according to local media and our correspondent in the region, Michel Hallak.
Hail showers hit Akkar, while heavy rain was also reported in several parts of the country, including Jbeil and Metn. Meanwhile, the municipality of Haret Hreik in Beirut’s southern suburbs called on residents to “stay away from damaged buildings.”
Winds in Akkar exceeded 70 kph, our correspondent reported. Torrential rain caused flooding in the village of Akroum, while farmers in the region, particularly those with plastic greenhouses, had been warned about the strong winds and risk of sudden flooding.
Fishermen were also urged not to go out to sea during the storm, as waves had already exceeded 2 meters in height. Motorists were advised to drive carefully because of the risk of skidding. In Tripoli, strong winds knocked down trees in the Zahriyah neighborhood.
As the weather system moved toward Beirut, the municipality of Haret Hreik, a neighborhood in the southern suburbs that was particularly affected by Israeli attacks in autumn 2024 and spring 2026, also issued a warning. It called on residents to ‘‘absolutely stay away from damaged and cracked buildings and not to approach or remain near them,’’ citing ‘‘increased winds and the risk of falling stones and parts of facades.’’
The municipality also urged motorists ‘‘to avoid parking their vehicles near these buildings, exercise extreme caution and adhere to safety instructions.’’
Several buildings have partially or completely collapsed in Beirut’s southern suburbs since the end of 2024 because of cracks caused by previous Israeli strikes, although no casualties were reported. Following the open war between Hezbollah and the Israeli army in late 2024, a study estimated that about 50,000 homes in the area had been damaged.
The area’s high population density contributed to the scale of the damage. The impact of the Beirut port explosion on Aug. 4, 2020, and the earthquake in Syria and Turkey that also shook Lebanon on Feb. 6, 2023, have also had lasting effects on some building foundations.
