Heavy rain and strong winds across the country caused massive flooding on Thursday, as infrastructure in several cities collapsed and left dozens trapped in flooded buildings.
The train station in Herzliya was closed due to flooding and rail services will not stop at the station. Alternative means of transportation were offered to allow people from the area to arrive at Tel Aviv-University station.In Hadera, dozens of passengers got stuck in the train station, after water levels rose and flooded the entire exit.
Flooded streets were also reported in Herzliya, Bnei Brak and Hod HaSharon, while people in Ramat HaSharon reported floods in their homes.
In Ashkelon, residents woke up to a smell of gas, caused by an oil tanker that was damaged because of the storm. Later, water that was concentrated in a major intersection in the city caused the road to collapse, creating a massive sinkhole.
Rescue services were dispatched to Nahariya on Thursday evening, after heavy rain caused floods that blocked many streets in the city. Residents were asked to stay indoors and clear major transportation routes to allow rescue forces to reach people requiring assistance.
Firefighting teams operated in the area of Kfar Saba to help people trapped in their vehicles due to flooded roads. The teams reported that several houses, elevators and parking lots were flooded and that several people required extraction.
Several major roads, including Highway 2 and Highway 5, were blocked due to heavy rainfall.
The IDF reported that some army bases were flooded, including the Glilot camps in Ramat Hasharon and the Kirya military headquarters. Buildings and IT systems were damaged, but the IDF said all operational activity was to continue as normal.
Several people required medical attention due to the cold weather. Overnight, a 95-year-old man who was found on the street with very low body temperature was hospitalized at Ashkelon’s Barzilai Medical Center. A 37-year-old was reportedly swept away by strong currents and suffered hypothermia. He was released from hospital after receiving treatment.
The rain is predicted to continue all the way through the weekend.
The storm did have some positive effects, with the Kinneret rising by 2.5 cm. over Wednesday night.
Tobias Siegal contributed to this report.