JERUSALEM, Dec. 13 (UPI) -- A storm pummeled the Middle East, leaving at least 18 people dead in Egypt and a cargo ship sunk off the Israeli coast in its wake, officials said.
Egyptian security officials said 11 of those killed Sunday died in traffic accidents and another 58 people were injured in crashes, Ahram Online reported. The state news agency MENA reported at least seven people died and 10 were injured when a six-story factory building where 30 or more people were working collapsed in Alexandria.
Al-Masry al-Youm reported Suez Canal traffic returned to normal Monday after being closed for two days by the weather. An official source at the Suez Canal Authority said 38 vessels held up in Port Said were allowed to proceed.
Fishing boats resumed operations in the Mediterranean Sea as wind speeds declined and wave action eased.
Millions of dollars in damage was reported at Tel Aviv and Caesarea ports in Israel.
On Sunday night, a woman was seriously injured when a tree fell on her car, Ynetnews.com reported.
Israel's Mount Hermon was covered in snow.
Gale force winds Sunday caused a Moldovan cargo ship to sink off the coast of Ashdod and destroyed an ancient pier in Caesarea, Haaretz said.
Flights at Israel's international Ben Gurion Airport were delayed.
Israeli authorities issued flood warnings for the central part of the country and forecasters declared that by noon Monday the storm would die down but rain would continue until Tuesday, Israel Radio said.
In the Gaza Strip, strong winds and lashing rains damaged a pier and a harbor breakfront, Palestinian officials said.
In Lebanon, heavy rains flooded streets in Beirut and snow forced some road closures in remote mountain towns.
Officials said an uprooted tree fell on a car in the northern port of Tripoli Saturday night, killing a woman, The Daily Star reported.
Dozens of fishing boats were ripped apart in the port of Sidon and a police station had to be evacuated, the newspaper said. Lebanese authorities said conditions were expected to improve by Monday evening.
The Jordan Times said severe dust storms that hit the country Sunday caused problems on the roads and in the air, with 29 people injured in accidents and air traffic halted for several hours.
In Damascus, snow fell for the first time in weeks, al-Arabiya said. Authorities were forced to close the main port of Tartous.
