Скачать или смотреть Early snow in Middle East affects refugees, UNHCR comment; floods in Gaza

(12 Dec 2013) A blustery storm named Alexa brought gusty winds, torrential rains and early snowfall to parts of the Middle East on Thursday.
The winter weather made conditions worse for the many of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon who have fled the civil war in their homeland.
The United Nations refugee agency, the UNHCR, said it was working "harder than ever" to protect more than 800,000 Syrian refugees in Lebanon from the winter weather that hit on Wednesday.
The storm pushed temperatures below freezing and dumped snow on northern Lebanon and some areas of the Bekaa Valley, which is dotted with informal refugee settlements.
The UNHCR estimates that at least 80,000 Syrians in Lebanon will spend the winter in flimsy tents with often only a plastic sheet covering the ground.
Strong winds were expected along the coastal regions of Lebanon, according to the meteorology department at Beirut airport.
Schools remained closed for a second day.
Meanwhile, heavy rains caused flooding in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday and the health ministry said 30 people were moved to hospitals.
Gaza's Interior Ministry said the roof collapsed on a house in the coastal strip, injuring three people, and families were moved into shelters because of flooding.
In Jerusalem, schools cancelled classes and buses in and out of the city were not operating on Thursday.
People threw snowballs along the walls of Jerusalem's Old City.
It also snowed lightly throughout the West Bank. Schools and government offices were closed.


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