An unusual storm of hail reached the Egyptian city of Alexandria on Saturday, the Mediterranean, but by the desert, flooding roads and causing damage to commercial establishments on the sea tour. The storm, a new episode of extreme phenomena in the region caused by climate change, occurred at night, according to an AFP correspondent.
The hail storm forced people to run away from the coffees, while rays ripped the city’s heavens and underground passages were submerged. Alexandria’s governor Ahmed Khaled Hasan raised the alert level and emergency teams worked all morning to tow cars and clean the rubble.
Storms are common on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt, but according to local press, the recorded on Saturday “has no precedents.” According to the Ministry of Health, no victims were reported.
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Scientists claim that extreme meteorological phenomena are more frequent due to climate change, which aggravates the droughts and intensity of precipitation. Alexandria, the largest coastal city of Egypt, has already suffered the effects of coastal erosion, increased sea level and storm flooding.
According to the most pessimistic predictions of the UN Climate Change Intergovernmental Panel (IPCC), the Mediterranean level could increase a meter over the next three decades.
According to other more optimistic scenarios, the Mediterranean will rise 50 centimeters by 2050. If this occurs, 30% of Alexandria’s territory will be flooded. The city would then have to relocate part of its six million inhabitants.
