Following the Greta snowstorm, at the beginning of this week, Lebanon faced a cold temperature wave and storms touching the whole country.
One of the characteristics of Lebanon is that there are 4 completely different seasons and its weather is generally mild and friendly, even in winter.
However, the Greta snowstorm hit hard with snow and icy cold at low levels and at a time when Lebanon is suffering from worsening shortages of fuel, gas, and electricity, adding to the financial crises and food supply concerns.
Perla-Maria Tannous, a grade 10 student at the International School of El Koura, told 961News that “due to the crisis, people are not able to afford to heat their homes, so houses are becoming colder, and, as they are not well-equipped, it’s important to find as many blankets as you can”.
The icy-cold wave hit the homeless harder. “People living in the street had to go to areas where there are more buildings to block the wind,” Perla-Maria shared.
Despite her young age, the Lebanese student had some awareness to share that would put to shame those in charge of the country.
This is what she told us:
“Due to the situation, we already don’t have stable resources. This does simply add to what we don’t have. Lebanon is one of the countries that are swinging in poverty, and the government doesn’t do anything to make it less bad.”
“People who don’t have access to fuel, dollars, and electricity are suffering immensely because they are unable to live a proper life. We all deserve to live with dignity and basic resources. As well, we are speaking about bad-equipped houses, but some people don’t even have a roof.”
Another grade 10 student told us that “a lot of people are getting sick due to the cold, but hospitals can’t handle such pressure because of the pandemic and not enough resources as medications not being easy to find.”
“The citizens are not only suffering mentally but also medically and the government is doing nothing to prevent it,” she added.
The children of Lebanon have matured too fast throughout these past three years. They have been robbed of the sweetness of their childhood, meant to be carefree, as they live and endure the severe crises and years of governmental negligence.
The youth of Lebanon had also their concerns to share with us. Among them is Farah, an 18 years old LAU student living in Mount Lebanon, who told us how harder it has been in the mountains where the temperature is even colder.
“It was too hard to cope with the cold weather and especially with the storm that passed in the previous 2 days,” Farah said. “Citizens of my village suffered and are still suffering to get proper heating, specifically the families with small kids.”
What makes the situation worse this year is the fuel crisis.
Farah said that “with the horrible increasing prices of the fuel and electricity, it has been impossible for the majority to buy it.”
“Many families inside my known circle did not have proper heating this winter, which has affected their health, especially the kids and the elders who had flu more frequently,” she shared.
As the prices for electricity by generators are growing daily, many families are expected to stop their subscriptions as prices can devour half of a family’s salary.
