A hiker was killed Monday in floodingin Nahal Arava, Israel Radio reported. A friend of the fatality wasevacuated to a Beersheba hospital with injuries and searches arecurrently underway for a third member of the party.
Four hikers became trapped in their carin Arava Monday due to intense flooding.
Rescue units, including a helicopter,were working to evacuate them from the vehicle.
Many roads in the South were closeddown following floods and a storm which has been raging since Sundaynight.
Route 90, leading from the Dead Seahotels to the Center, Route 40 and Route 211 in the Negev were closedto traffic. The Nitzana Bridge collapsed due to heavy rainfalls.
The Nitzana, Tzin, Revivim BesorHaroe'h and Beersheba streams were overflowing.
A vehicle drifted away near the Revivimquarry and was still being sought on Monday morning. Two trucks withthree travelers were swept into the Paran stream near Eilat and thetravelers needed assistance from the local rescue unit and IDFhelicopters.
All schools in the Ramat Hanegev LocalCouncil were closed because of the floods. Schools in Kadesh Barne'a,Ezuz, Kmehin, Nitzana, Revivim, Mashabe Sadeh, Telalim and Retamimwere closed.
Significant downpours swept the land,especially in the Negev and northern Negev, where 49 millimeters wereregistered during the night.
The downpour started in the country'ssouth, slowly moving northward. In Jerusalem, 17 mm. were registered,in Tel Aviv and environs amounts between 3 and 7 mm. were noted.
The residents of the Golan Heights wereexpecting to see snow covering Mount Hermon beginning Tuesday.
The inclement weather was expected tocontinue throughout the week, and meteorologists predict that thenext few days will remain pluvial.
The current system is expected to addsome water to the Kinneret in the North.