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In pictures: Snow-covered Ramallah

Palestine’s de facto capital was battered by heavy snowfall, cutting many off from electricity for days.

The al-Tireh neighbourhood was one of the areas that was hardest hit by the freak snowfalls in Ramallah.
By Rich Wiles
Published On 16 Dec 2013

The Palestinian territories have been hit by some of the worst weather conditions they have seen in decades. Many houses remain without electricity in East Jerusalem, and Gaza is facing a humanitarian disaster under mass flooding. 

Within the West Bank, the Palestinian Authority’s Civil Defence forces have said Ramallah has been hardest hit, with more than 1,500 reported incidents involving more than 3,000 people. Many roads are still totally impassable and some areas of the city, such as al-Tireh, were without electricity under freezing conditions for three days, from Thursday to Saturday. 

The snow has caused structural damage to many of the city’s buildings, and hundreds of trees have collapsed under the weight of the snow. By late Saturday afternoon, with parts of the al-Tireh neighbourhood still lacking electricity, the Civil Defence forces were bringing food and gas to those in particular need, and in some cases families were evacuated from their houses.

With much of al-Tireh without electricity for three days, some families took to the streets to enjoy the snow.
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Many trees across the city collapsed under the weight of the snow.
Several houses suffered external damage, and cars were totally covered in snow.
Frustration at the lack of response from the Palestinian Authority was high during the first 36 hours without electricity in al-Tireh.
By Saturday, some major roads were accessible to 4x4 vehicles and trucks - but side roads remained deep in untouched snow.
By mid-afternoon on Saturday, some families in al-Tireh chose to leave their houses and move in with friends or relatives in areas where electricity had been restored.
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By this time, the Palestinian Authority provided emergency evacuations, food and gas to people who were unable to leave their houses.
The city centre streets were busy with people enjoying the snow, posing for photographs in front of a Christmas tree.
Mass snowball fights broke out in Minara Square and elsewhere across the city.
Even within the city centre, many streets remain totally blocked by snow and fallen power cables - although power was restored to the city centre much quicker than in outlying areas.