Strong Thunderstorm Wreaks Havoc across Lebanon

A powerful thunderstorm carrying hail and strong winds wreaked havoc on Thursday across Lebanon.

The storm, which is expected to subside Friday afternoon, damaged cars, shops and apartments in the capital and its suburbs.

A social media video showed a destroyed huge scaffold scattered over damaged cars in Beirut's coastal Raouche area. Another scaffold facing possible collapse meanwhile forced the closure of the capital's busy Hamra Street, according to the Traffic Management Center.

A ceiling meanwhile collapsed in the Jnah area, forcing the diversion of traffic to side roads.

Strong winds also uprooted palm trees in Raouche, according to the National News Agency.

The glass facade of a shop belonging to the Alfa telecom operator also collapsed in the Dekweneh area due to hail and strong winds.

Citizens were meanwhile stranded in their cars in several areas in Beirut's eastern and southern suburbs, where some streets turned into water ponds.

The Mount Lebanon areas of Aley, Upper Metn and Khalwat Falougha were also lashed by huge pellets of hail which damaged crops, apple trees and cars.