(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Lebanese officials have begun assessing damages after a two-day storm battered villages across the country, adding thick layers of snow, blocking roads, and cutting power supply in some areas.
The meteorological department at Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport reported that heavy snowfall was witnessed in areas 900 meters above sea level and winds were recorded at speeds up to 90 kilometers per hour, according to AlBawaba News.
A strong hail storm was also reported in Beirut, prompting officials to close schools in the country for several days.
The storm, nicknamed ‘Windy’, has since ended, but officials have already begun assessing the damage and cleanup costs caused by the intense wind and snowfall.
Telecommunication Minister Boutros Harb called on Lebanon’s mobile communication companies Alfa and Touch to quickly fix the malfunctions that hit their network as a result of the storm.
Electricity outages were also reported in many areas in North Lebanon, including Akkar, which is only receiving 45 minutes of electricity each day, according to Beirut-based newspaper The Daily Star.
“Electricity flow is reaching for around 10 minutes every 40 minutes, which does not exceed three hours every 24 hours,” the residents said in a statement. “There will be escalatory measures if the situation continues as is.”
Syrian refugees in the Bekaa are also facing treacherous winter conditions, leaving many informal settlements without heat.
UNICEF says they’re distributing winter clothing kits to over 100,000 children in informal settlements across the country, putting a priority on north Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, where temperatures often drop below zero, according to the organization.
The most recent storm comes after Storm Zina battered Lebanon last month, closing schools for several days, and threatening the country’s weak infrastructure.