An unseasonal rainstorm battered the Egyptian city of Alexandria on Saturday, flooding roads and damaging seafront businesses in the latest bout of erratic weather to hit the region. Hailstones pelted the city overnight, forcing people to flee cafes as gusts of wind blew the ice pellets through windows, according to footage posted on social media. Lightning lit up the skies and underpasses were submerged. Alexandria Governor Ahmed Khaled Hassan raised the alert level and emergency crews worked through the morning to tow cars and clear debris. No casualties were reported, Egypt's health ministry said. Storms are common along Egypt's Mediterranean coast in winter, but media outlets described this spring event as "unprecedented". Scientists warn extreme weather is becoming more frequent due to climate change, which drives both droughts and intense, unpredictable rainstorms. Alexandria is highly vulnerable to climate impacts, suffering from coastal erosion, rising sea levels and flooding from annual storms. — AFP
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