Lebanon receives fresh snowfall as Storm Joyce abates

Regional storm has brought rain, high winds and hail since Tuesday

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  A woman takes a photograph with other women along a snow-covered road near the town of Bcharre in Mount Lebanon, north of the capital Beirut. AFP

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  Youths ride their bicycles along a snow-covered road in the town of Hasroun in Mount Lebanon. AFP

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  A man walks along a snow-covered street in the town of Bcharre in Mount Lebanon. AFP

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  Youths drive their quad bikes on a snow-covered road near the town of Bcharre in Mount Lebanon. AFP

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  An earthmover clears snow in the town of Hasroun in Mount Lebanon. AFP

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  People shovel snow in front of their shops and houses in the town of Bcharre in Mount Lebanon. AFP

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  Snow covers the town of Jezzine in southern Lebanon. Reuters

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  Children play with snow as a woman takes a picture with her mobile phone, in the town of Jezzine, southern Lebanon. Reuters

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  Snow falls on the cedar forest reserve also known as the Cedars of God, near the town of Bcharre in Mount Lebanon. AFP

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  An aerial view of the snow-coverd town of Bcharr in Mount Lebanon. AFP

Fresh snow covered Lebanon’s mountainous regions at the weekend after days of strong winds and heavy rain engulfed the country.

Storm Joyce, which hit Lebanon late on Tuesday, brought a sharp drop in temperatures and heavy hail at low altitudes, with winds of up to 85 kilometres per hour.

The storm has since subsided, with temperatures expected to gradually increase next week, according to the Meteorological Department at Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut.

The snowfall blocked roads in mountainous regions, with the department warning people against driving after sunset at altitudes above 800 metres where ice was expected to form on the roads.

Many Lebanese welcomed the snow, sharing pictures on social media. But for thousands of Syrian refugees living in tents across the country, the storm brought new challenges.

"Freezing temperatures, flooded shelters, collapsed roofs, snow & strong winds. This is what winter storms mean for refugees living in flimsy tents," said Lisa Abou Khaled, the UN refugee agency's spokeswoman in Lebanon.

Storm Joyce hit Lebanon's ailing infrastructure hard, resulting in increased power rationing in a country that still suffers from daily electricity cuts about 30 years after the end of a civil war.

Municipalities have also struggled to carry out maintenance work as the government, reeling under the burden of an economic crisis, fell short of providing the necessary funding for local authorities.