.... meanwhile, further east ....

Stormy weather plays havoc in Middle East
Copyright 2010 by United Press International (via ClariNet) / Mon, 13
Dec 2010 9:14:49 EST

JERUSALEM, Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Stormy weather, which was connected to a
number of weekend deaths and the sinking of a cargo ship off the
Israeli coast, assaulted the Middle East again Monday.

Israel's Mount Hermon was covered in snow

Millions of dollars in damage was reported at Tel Aviv and Caesarea
ports.

In Egypt Sunday, rainfall caused a factory to collapse in Alexandria,
killing at least seven people, al-Masry al-Youm reported. About 50
workers were inside the factory when it collapsed Sunday.

On Sunday night, a woman was seriously when a tree fell on her car,
Ynetnews.com said.

The stormy weather disrupted shipping in the Suez Canal.

Gale force winds caused a Moldovan cargo ship to sink off the coast of
Ashdod on Sunday and destroyed an ancient pier in Caesarea, Haaretz
said.

Flights at Israel's international Ben Gurion Airport were delayed.

Israeli authorities issued flood warnings for the central part of the
country and forecasters declared that by noon Monday the storm would
die down but rain would continue until Tuesday, Israel Radio said.

In the Gaza Strip, strong winds and lashing rains damaged a pier and a
harbor breakfront, Palestinian officials said.

In Lebanon, heavy rains flooded streets in Beirut and snow forced some
road closures in remote mountain towns.

Officials said an uprooted tree fell on a car in the northern port of
Tripoli Saturday night, killing a woman, The Daily Star reported.

Dozens of fishing boats were ripped apart in the port of Sidon and a
police station had to be evacuated, the newspaper said. Lebanese
authorities said conditions were expected to improve by Monday
evening.

The Jordan Times said severe dust storms that hit the country Sunday
caused problems on the roads and in the air, with 29 people injured in
accidents and air traffic halted for several hours.

In Damascus, snow fell for the first time in weeks, al-Arabiya said.
Authorities were forced to close the main port of Tartous.

[ first time in *weeks*?? ... perhaps years?]

and more here ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11979285



--
Martin Rowley
West Moors, East Dorset (UK): 17m (56ft) amsl
Lat: 50.82N Long: 01.88W
NGR: SU 082 023