Storm

A Syrian Refugee stands in front of his flooded house in Bar Elias. Lebanon is home to more than one million Syrian refugees, most of whom live in informal settlements made out of tarpaulin tents supported by wooden frames. The unprotected tents barely make it through harsh winters. @UNHCR/ Diego Ibarra Sánchez
A Syrian family stands waiting to be realocated after heavy rains at Bar Elias informal settlement camp. It was flooded and 16 families had to leave their tents and to be relocated in other camps with the support and coordination of UNHCR. The impact of the storm has necessitated the activation of an extreme weather response by distribution of blankets, shovels and mattresses (core relief items) to the most urgent cases. @UNHCR/ Diego Ibarra Sánchez
Syrian refugees wait for being relocated after Bar Elias informal settlement camp was flooded. Since Storm Norma hit last week, more than 1,000 Syrian refugees have been forced to relocate to other areas, either in nearby camps or with other extended family members. @UNHCR/ Diego Ibarra Sánchez
a Syrian refugee is seen leaving his flooded home at Bar Elias. 16 families had to leave their tents and to be relocated in other camps with the support and coordination of UNHCR. The impact of the storm has necessitated the activation of an extreme weather response by distribution of blankets, shovels and mattresses (core relief items) to the most urgent cases. @UNHCR/ Diego Ibarra Sánchez
UNHCR distributes blankets, shovels, and mattresses (core relief items) to Syrian families affected by the floods. 16 Syrian refugee families were forced to leave their tents at an informal settlement in Bar Elias, east of Lebanon. The camp was flooded and families were relocated to other camps with the coordination of UNHCR and its partners. @UNHCR/ Diego Ibarra Sánchez
A Syrian refugee is seen inside a truck on her way to a new house after her house has been completly flooded at Bar Elias. Hard rain has forced to 16 families, 76 persons, to evacuate their homes. @UNHCR/ Diego Ibarra Sánchez
Distribution at Aude informal settlement camp during a heavy rain in the night. The impact of the storm has necessitated the activation of an extreme weather response by distribution of blankets, shovels and mattresses (core relief items) to the most urgent cases.
A hand of a young Syrian refugee is seen through a plastic tent during Norma´s storm at the flooded informal settlement of Bar Elias in Bekaa Valley. Syrian refugees who are already living in very vulnerable conditions are seriously affected by flooding.
Juriya Ramadan, a Syrian refugee from Deir El Zor, is seen among other Syrian refugeesat the flooded streets of Dalhamiya informal settlement camp in Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. She has been in Lebanon for the last two years.
Portrait of Amina el Darak while she breaks to cry at her flooded house in Dalhamiya, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. Hundreds of tents have been filled with floodwater as storm Norma battered Lebanon with fierce winds, heavy snow and rainfall. @UNHCR/ Diego Ibarra Sánchez
One of the sons of Juriya Ramadan, a Syrian refugee from Deir El Zor, walks inside his flooded tent. He has been in Lebanon for the last two years with his family. @UNHCR/ Diego Ibarra Sánchez
Portrait of Houssein Muhib Eddin, a 82 years old Syrian refugee in Arsal. Harsh winter weather creates havoc across Lebanon's Syrian refugee camps as more rain and snowfall is expected. His sons are living in Turkey. Muhib and his wife Mariam Mohamed , 80 years old feels alone in Lebanon. @UNHCR/ Diego Ibarra Sánchez
A young Syrian refugee drains water out of his family's tent, which is part of the informal settlement of Dalhamiya in Bekaa Valley. Lebanon hosts an estimated 1.5 million Syrian refugees, many of whom live in informal settlements that have little or no infrastructure. @UNHCR/ Diego Ibarra Sánchez
A young Syrian refugee plays at the flooded streets of Dalhamiya informal settlement camp. Hundreds of Syrian refugees were rescued from camps in Lebanon on Monday, as storms batter the country, causing tents and homes to flood. @UNHCR/ Diego Ibarra Sánchez
A Syrian family leaves the informal settlement of Bar Elias by car. Second day of "Norma" storm, families struggling to stay warm. @UNHCR/ Diego Ibarra Sánchez
Strong winds and snow battered informal settlement camps in Arsal. Refugees struggle to cope as conditions worsen in Lebanon's Arsal, an isolated border town once a stronghold of ISIL. @UNHCR/ Diego Ibarra Sánchez
A Syrian refugee walks through the snow with a shovel and gasoline at the informal settlement camp of Douress. Lebanon is currently experiencing its harshest winter in years. @UNHCR/ Diego Ibarra Sánchez
Ahmed ,a Syrian refugee from Raqqa, removes snow with a shovel outside his home at the informal settlement camp of Douress. He has been in Lebanon for the last 6 years. Lebanon's Syrian refugee camps battered by winter storms. @UNHCR/ Diego Ibarra Sánchez
A Syrian woman waits for then distribution of blankets, shovels and mattresses run by UNHCR inside the informal settlement of Bar Elias by car. Second day of storm, families struggling to stay warm. @UNHCR/ Diego Ibarra Sánchez
Mohamed, a young refugee from Deir ez-Zor carries blankets after UNHCR distribution. Hundreds of Syrian refugees were rescued from camps in Lebanon on Monday, as storms batter the country, causing tents and homes to flood. @UNHCR/ Diego Ibarra Sánchez
A Syrian refugee stands at the flooded streets at the informal settlement camp of Bar Elias. The camp was flooded and 16 Syrian refugee families were relocated to other camps with the coordination of UNHCR and its partners. @UNHCR/ Diego Ibarra Sánchez

Storms flooding brings misery to Syrian refugees in Lebanon

Lebanon, which is host to nearly 950,000 Syrian refugees, is currently experiencing its harshest winter in years. 34% of Syrian refugees are living in non-residential and non-permanent structures. These homes are in no condition to withstand harsh winter conditions and families have been left devastated by the onslaught of two successive storms. Many homes have been badly hit by flooding. UNHCR has been working hard to help repair damage and provide emergency supplies to affected households.

Several days of high winds and heavy rain brought by Storms Norma and Miriam have led to flooding in towns and villages across Lebanon, which is host to nearly 950,000 Syrian refugees. More than 360 sites hosting 11,300 refugees have been affected, with a number of settlements including in Dalhamiya where Juriya lives becoming completely flooded, forcing hundreds of Syrians from their homes. The tents of the refugee camps are made of tarpaulin, corrugated iron, and wooden planks. The refugees try to prop up their shelters with extra fabrics and nylon, but little can protect them from extreme weather, a yearly occurrence in Lebanon.

UNHCR in Lebanon has launched an extreme weather response as thousands of refugees across the country are in need of supplies, food and temporary accommodation after refugee settlements in low lying areas flooded.