Zahle, eastern Lebanon, July 14, 2023 (Xinhua) Dr. Michel Frem, Chairman and Director General of the Agricultural Scientific Research Authority of the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture, warned today (Friday) of the severe heat wave currently hitting Lebanon, as the temperature touched 40 degrees Celsius in the eastern regions. Lebanon and 35 degrees in the rest of the Lebanese regions.
The Agricultural Scientific Research Service of the Ministry of Agriculture and its headquarters in the town of Rayak in eastern Lebanon is concerned with weather conditions and weather bulletins through several modern and advanced observatories. Among its tasks is also conducting basic scientific and applied research for the development and advancement of the agricultural sector through dozens of modern and advanced laboratories.
Frem told Xinhua that “the intense heat wave will continue in principle until the end of this July, and we had previously notified the citizens and all relevant official authorities, especially municipalities and civil defense, of the need to declare a state of climate-environmental emergency because all plants are in a state of water stress.” Difficult, which facilitates the outbreak of many fires.”
Frem indicated that Lebanon is affected during this period by hot and dry air masses originating from the Arabian Peninsula, which lead to a noticeable rise in temperatures, especially in the south and the interior, in addition to a rise in humidity, which increases the feeling of extreme heat.
Frem explained that this heat wave has not been witnessed in Lebanon for 14 years, and there is fear of fires breaking out, especially in forests in particular, where the dry wild weeds have reached a height of more than two meters this year.
He called on the security forces, civil defence, municipalities, forest guards and citizens to take emergency measures to confront this hot weather and pay attention to fire prevention measures.
He said that there is fear of reaching a state of drought, which will negatively affect the agricultural sector and livestock in general.
For his part, the Minister of the Environment in the Lebanese caretaker government, Nasser Yassin, warned in a statement today of an increase in the fire risk index during the coming days in the majority of Lebanese regions, stressing the need for everyone to pay attention to the importance of taking all necessary precautions, dealing with complete caution with any source of fire, and not igniting Fires in forested places for any reason.
He pointed out that the indicators of fire outbreaks rise with the rise in temperatures, especially in mountainous areas, and what is required is the vigilance of citizens, civil defense and the Lebanese army, and that municipalities and concerned parties must clean forests and roads on a daily basis.
Lebanon usually suffers from the phenomenon of forest fires in the summer, with high temperatures, especially during the months of July and August of each year.
Ahmed al-Mohammed, a forty-year-old cattle herder, told Xinhua that he was able to chase and kill 4 snakes within two days in the Qaraoun fields in eastern Lebanon, explaining that he saw for the first time in his life a snake of the rare “barkil” type in Lebanon, which is one of the most dangerous snakes, and was bitten by it. It kills a person in less than an hour. /ts/
2023-07-14 17:57:09
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