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Bad weather that dumped rain, hail and snow across the country Thursday claimed three victims, as three Syrian farmers went missing when they were swept away by a overflowing river along Lebanon's northern border with Syria.
The National News Agency reported that Abdullah Rayya, Hassan Shmaisi and Walid Rayya, from the Syrian village of Maajir, were carried off by the al-Nahr al-Kabir river while riding their tractor on the Syrian side of the border in the Wadi Khaled region in Akkar.
Syrian and Lebanese authorities, along with locals, are carrying out intensive search efforts for them, the NNA added.
The heavy rainfall inflicted considerable damage to agricultural areas and closed roads and schools in mountainous areas, while residents of coastal regions experienced rare hail storms.
Also in the north, heavy rainfall accompanied by hail struck Tripoli overnight, flooding the streets of the northern city and prompting traffic jams during rush hour Thursday.
Comment: The Guardian has released this footage of Japanese MPs in session when the earthquake struck: