Dense haze blankets Beirut’s coast and interrupts international flights

A dense haze that appeared along the coast interrupted activity at Rafik Hariri International Airport for nearly three hours Friday evening. The unusually heavy bout of haze, which also hampered port activity along the coast during the day, was responsible for diverting a number of flights to Cyprus, according to officials at the airport. Flight activity was halted between 6:30 p.m. and 8:45 p.m., airport officials said. Weather experts said that while the phenomenon was typical for this time of year, Friday’s haze was denser and moved more quickly than usual. According to the meteorological department at Rafik Hariri International Airport, the haze originates in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. It consists mostly of dust and occurs around the time of a gradual increase in temperatures. The department also advised drivers along the coast to exercise caution.