Bekaa Valley, Lebanon (CNN) -- As the Syria conflict further escalates, refugees continue to cross borders to seek safety in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and Egypt. According to the U.N., the number of Syrians who have registered as refugees -- or are being assisted in these countries -- now exceeds 540,000, with an increase of over 140,000 during the past six weeks alone. I recently traveled to eastern Lebanon to work with Mercy Corps and assist the refugees who have fled their homes in Syria. It was a cold, foggy day with a constant downpour of icy rain. When we crossed the mountains into the Bekaa Valley, the rain turned to a wet snow and a hard wind lashed at us the entire day.
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More than half a million Syrians have fled to other countries
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Their numbers have risen 140,000 in the past six weeks alone
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Lebanon is hosting the largest Syrian refugee community, with more than 170,000
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Most are taken in by host families or live under tents improvised from scrap material
The majority of the refugees in @placeholder are staying with host families.