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January 09, 2015

The Snow Storm: One Refugee Family's Story

Huda — a powerful winter storm dumped snow, heavy rain, high winds and hail across the Middle East, affecting thousands of refugees across Lebanon and Jordan. Many are struggling to keep warm, protect their shelters and hide from the plummeting temperatures.

Aisha, a mother-of-four from Syria, wraps a blanket around her shoulders as the wind beats against the walls of the tent. Outside, snow is piling up and soon the family’s food will run out. “We are really scared of the storm,” she says, shivering as she hands some fruit to her children. “My husband must go on the roof every hour to clear the snow and I’m worried he might fall.”

Bathed in the dim orange glow of a wood burning stove, 36-year-old Aisha looks exhausted. This will be her family’s fourth winter away from home and storms like these only compound their sense of isolation and despair. “UNHCR took care of us with blankets and sheeting and the stove is very warm, but we need wood,” she says, through a sigh.

It’s less than a week into 2015, and a fierce storm has descended on Lebanon. Heavy snow and icy winds sweep through the mountains of the Bekaa Valley, blocking roads and leaving thousands of refugees stranded. Temperatures plummet. Many people, already displaced, try desperately to secure their shelters against the wind. Some are forced to dig their way out.

There are more than 850 informal refugee settlements in the Bekaa Valley, set up in vacant lots, abandoned buildings, garages, sheds and on farmland. Now, scores of the makeshift shelters have collapsed, as strong winds batter the area. UNHCR and its partners are working to provide blankets, plastic sheeting and materials to repair shelters with, but much more needs to be done.

Twenty-year-old Hany, who lives in a tented settlement, sees that people are beginning to panic. “People are scared if it keeps snowing because the tents won’t hold up against its weight,” he says, as an elderly woman trudges past him through the blizzard. He gazes down at his mobile phone – his lifeline to the outside world – which he uses to take photos and send them to his friends. Now, it is dead. “We haven’t had electricity since yesterday.”

Almost 250,000 people living in the Bekaa Valley’s unfinished buildings and informal settlements are battling the increasingly poor conditions. But the suffering doesn’t stop there. Refugees living on Mount Lebanon, in Beirut and in the north and south of the country are also struggling to cope.


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