Impoverished Lebanese, Syrians struggle to survive cold

By BASSEM MROUE
Associated Press

BEIRUT (AP) — A snowstorm in the Middle East has left many Lebanese and Syrians scrambling to find ways to survive. Some are burning old clothes, plastic and other hazardous materials to keep warm as temperatures plummet and poverty soars. The storm began Tuesday night and is expected to peak on Thursday. In Lebanon, the economic collapse and currency crash have meant an increasing number of Lebanese families are not able to afford fuel to heat their homes this winter. Hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan and others who displaced by Syria’s war are sheltering in poorly heated tents relying mostly on layers of blankets to keep warm.