Snow Storm Isolates Villages, Leaving Thousands without Power or Phone Lines

A huge snowstorm continued to hit Lebanon Thursday, isolating villages and towns and causing widespread havoc on roads with temperatures reaching below zero in many areas, including the capital.

 

Many villages and towns at an altitude of 600 meters were blanketed by snow that also left thousands of people without power or telephone lines.

 

Officials said service to most areas will be restored as soon as possible.

 

Strong winds inflicted severe damage to crops and other property, while the rain turned many roads into rivers.

Local weather forecasts expected the stormy weather to subside later Thursday.

 

But they predicted cloudy and rainy weather to continue through Friday.

 

The forecast said winds were blowing at a speed varying between 10 and 35 kilometers per hour, with poor visibility in the highlands.

 

Internal Security Forces declared emergency, warning motorists against driving on mountainous roads due to thick fog, snow and ice.

 

Coastal cities saw heavy rain and the formation of a rare thin layer of hailstones on cars and roads as temperatures reached record low levels.

 

Heavy snow fall also forced the closure of schools, stores and firms in mountainous regions.

 

Picture: Icicles formed in the village of Saoufar, 30 km south-east of Beirut after a cold wave swept the country. (EPA/Wael Hamzeh)