VIDEO: Heavy snowfall, gales as winter storm hits parts of Middle East; virus vaccination campaign postponed
Palestinians leave as snow falls at the Dome of Al Aqsa Mosque compound in the occpuped Jerusalem on Wednesday. AFP
Snow blanketed parts of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt on Wednesday, blocking roads, disrupting traffic and postponing vaccination campaigns against COVID-19 and even exams at some universities.
Large parts of Syria were covered, including the capital of Damascus, which is witnessing this winter's first snowfall. Snow was as high as 15cm (6 inches) in the mountains of Sweida province, according to the official state news agency SANA. Roads in some provinces were blocked.
In the central province of Hama, bulldozers shoveled snow to open roads while vehicles skidded on ice, further causing traffic disruption.
The University of Damascus called off mid-term exams scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday in all its branches around Syria because of the extreme weather conditions. The country’s ports remained open.
In neighbouring Lebanon, Storm Joyce hit late on Tuesday with gale force winds registering between 85 km/h and 100 km/h. The storm is expected to get stronger on Thursday.
Breaking a warm spell, the storm brought heavy rainfall, a sharp drop in temperatures and the heaviest snow fall in Lebanon this year. Snow is expected to cover areas of altitudes as low as 400 metres high, according to the meteorological department. Nearly a dozen roads in eastern and northern Lebanon were closed to traffic because of the snow.
In Jordan, the COVID-19 vaccination drive was suspended due to severe weather conditions. Schools and universities also put off classes.
Osama Al Tarifi, director of the operating room of the Arabia Weather site, said snow has reached 20cm in the mountains of Ajloun in northern Jordan, where snowfall has been non-stop since Tuesday night. Heavy snow is expected in the capital, Amman, on Wednesday.
In Libya, snow blanketed the country's northeast mountains as snowfall continued since Tuesday, covering forests and roads in some areas in the North African country.
"I was surprised, actually, by the number of families who came here to take pictures to remember the snow," said Ali Al Shairi, an amateur photographer from the eastern city of Bayda, which is known for recurrent snow in Libya but has not seen any for a couple of years.
In neighbouring Egypt, heavy rain and windy weather prevailed on Wednesday and was expected to last into Thursday, the country’s meteorological agency said. Authorities in South Sinai province, which includes touristic hubs, canceled touristic activities, including safaris and cruises to Weather the storm.
The Israeli Meteorological Service forecast heavy thunderstorms and cold temperatures across much of the country, with snowfall at higher altitudes expected later on Wednesday, including in occupied Jerusalem. Heavy snowfall covered the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights near the border with Syria.
In the opposition-held northwestern Syria, civil defence teams have been building dirt mounds since Tuesday around displaced persons' camps to prevent the rain from flooding the crowded areas. Nearly 3 million displaced people live in northwestern Syria, mostly in tents and temporary shelters. Heavy rainfall last month damaged over 190 displacement sites, destroying and damaging over 10,000 tents.
Associated Press
