Beirut |
December 28, 2006
Lebanon: Country reels in wake severe snowstorm
Thursday December 28, 2006
SIDON/CHOUF: The severe storm that struck Lebanon on Wednesday inflicted heavy damages, as a number of roads were blocked, areas flooded, and landslides occurred, due to the heavy snowfall and torrential rain. Although Thursday brought some sunshine and warm conditions, weather experts are predicting that another hailstorm will hit Lebanon by Saturday afternoon.
Sources from the Civil Aviation Department at the Rafik Hariri International Airport told The Daily Star that Lebanon will not witness anything similar to the storm it saw over the past few days. One of the source added that the freezing air currents that hit Lebanon will not reoccur, as temperatures will be on the rise starting Friday morning.
"The storm [which is predicted to hit Lebanon on Saturday] will not be as severe as that of Wednesday; it will be like any normal storm Lebanon has long witnessed during the winter season," the Aviation Department said.
The Aviation Department also said that the storm will not last for more than 24 hours, and snow will only fall at an altitude of 1,300 to 1,400 meters.
In the mountainous Chouf area, black ice forced many people to stay at home on Wednesday. Traffic was completely paralyzed, due to landslides caused by heavy rain.
By Thursday morning the ice on the roads began to melt. But the Maaser-al-Chouf Kefraya road is still completely blocked, after the level of snow reached 30 centimeters.
Bulldozers from the Civil Defense and the Lebanese Army worked around the clock to make the Dahr al-Baidar accessible to motorists.
The town of Jezzine in South Lebanon is still covered in a thick coat of white snow, causing the Jezzine- Western Bekaa road to remain closed.
Many of Jezzine residents stayed at home on Wednesday.
In the coming days, temperatures in Lebanon are expected to vary between 5 and 13 degrees Celsius along the coast, between -3 and 5 degrees in the mountains, and between -3 and 5 in the Bekaa Valley. Weather forecasts also predict that northwesterly winds will blow at speeds varying between 10 and 30 kilometers per hour, with poor visibility in the highlands.
SIDON/CHOUF: The severe storm that struck Lebanon on Wednesday inflicted heavy damages, as a number of roads were blocked, areas flooded, and landslides occurred, due to the heavy snowfall and torrential rain. Although Thursday brought some sunshine and warm conditions, weather experts are predicting that another hailstorm will hit Lebanon by Saturday afternoon.
Sources from the Civil Aviation Department at the Rafik Hariri International Airport told The Daily Star that Lebanon will not witness anything similar to the storm it saw over the past few days. One of the source added that the freezing air currents that hit Lebanon will not reoccur, as temperatures will be on the rise starting Friday morning.
"The storm [which is predicted to hit Lebanon on Saturday] will not be as severe as that of Wednesday; it will be like any normal storm Lebanon has long witnessed during the winter season," the Aviation Department said.
The Aviation Department also said that the storm will not last for more than 24 hours, and snow will only fall at an altitude of 1,300 to 1,400 meters.
In the mountainous Chouf area, black ice forced many people to stay at home on Wednesday. Traffic was completely paralyzed, due to landslides caused by heavy rain.
By Thursday morning the ice on the roads began to melt. But the Maaser-al-Chouf Kefraya road is still completely blocked, after the level of snow reached 30 centimeters.
Bulldozers from the Civil Defense and the Lebanese Army worked around the clock to make the Dahr al-Baidar accessible to motorists.
The town of Jezzine in South Lebanon is still covered in a thick coat of white snow, causing the Jezzine- Western Bekaa road to remain closed.
Many of Jezzine residents stayed at home on Wednesday.
In the coming days, temperatures in Lebanon are expected to vary between 5 and 13 degrees Celsius along the coast, between -3 and 5 degrees in the mountains, and between -3 and 5 in the Bekaa Valley. Weather forecasts also predict that northwesterly winds will blow at speeds varying between 10 and 30 kilometers per hour, with poor visibility in the highlands.
December 1, 2006
Sfeir: Protests Never Resolved Problem
December 1, 2006
Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir has criticized threats to stage protests "which have never been a way to resolve any problem".
"We can only resolve matters through honest and sincere dialogue," he told hundreds of black-clad widows, mothers, daughters, sisters and friends of assassinated leaders from the anti-Syrian ruling majority Thursday afternoon at Bkirki, the seat of the Maronite patriarchate northeast of Beirut.
"We don't see that strikes, demonstrations and street protests can solve the problems, but rather complicate them," Sfeir told the crowd which begged for peace and stability in Lebanon.
"Street protests will only bring (counter) street protests … and we will have a collision, without knowing how it will end," Sfeir said.
"We are fed up of assassinations and deaths and clashes among the Lebanese," Sfeir said. "What distinguishes Lebanon is the fact that 18 sects from all religions coexist. This makes Lebanon exceptional because Muslims and Christians live side by side … and it shall remain like that."
"Our problems can only be solved through dialogue," Sfeir concluded.
During the protest, the mother of slain Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel, Joyce, called on all Christians to refrain from taking part in the demonstration called by Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.
"Any Christian who demonstrates on Friday will be digging Lebanon's grave," she said to loud applause.
Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir has criticized threats to stage protests "which have never been a way to resolve any problem".
"We can only resolve matters through honest and sincere dialogue," he told hundreds of black-clad widows, mothers, daughters, sisters and friends of assassinated leaders from the anti-Syrian ruling majority Thursday afternoon at Bkirki, the seat of the Maronite patriarchate northeast of Beirut.
"We don't see that strikes, demonstrations and street protests can solve the problems, but rather complicate them," Sfeir told the crowd which begged for peace and stability in Lebanon.
"Street protests will only bring (counter) street protests … and we will have a collision, without knowing how it will end," Sfeir said.
"We are fed up of assassinations and deaths and clashes among the Lebanese," Sfeir said. "What distinguishes Lebanon is the fact that 18 sects from all religions coexist. This makes Lebanon exceptional because Muslims and Christians live side by side … and it shall remain like that."
"Our problems can only be solved through dialogue," Sfeir concluded.
During the protest, the mother of slain Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel, Joyce, called on all Christians to refrain from taking part in the demonstration called by Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.
"Any Christian who demonstrates on Friday will be digging Lebanon's grave," she said to loud applause.
