Winter storms hit Bazoun - Bsharri uprooting over 1500 fruit trees

A new agricultural disaster was recorded this time in northern town of Bazoun, in Bsharri. Over 1500 cherry, apple and pear trees and a number of old forest trees were completely uprooted by the winter storms in addition to damages caused by rockslides, which resulted in the destruction of reinforcement walls and of irrigation networks. Farmers complained to the town municipality which appealed to MPs Sitrida Geagea and Elie Kayrooz for help in containing the emerging crisis. Mayor Hanna Faddoul explained that every year farmers have to endure the effects of winter storms and bad harvests while falling into financial debts as a result of high costs of production and insufficient sales. Faddoul urged the Higher Relief Committee to visit the town and assess the damages. (Al Mustaqbal, 20 April 2015)