Sunday, December 15, 2013

Photos: The 'Other' Storm - Israel's Floods

Tova Dvorin

While snow pummeled the Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and Northern areas of Israel over the weekend, the Tel Aviv area and the Western side of Israel faced torrential rains and flooding Saturday. 

Total damages have been estimated to be over 300 million shekel thus far, according to Channel 2. 

The floods have also proved deadly. Saturday evening, the bodies of two men were found in the Tze'elim Stream, near Arad. The stream had been flooded in the storm and had drowned the two men, who had been in the midst of a hike, medics stated. 

Rain also hit Hamas-controlled Gaza particularly hard, causing hundreds of residents to be evacuated by boat, according to AFP. Some news agencies have estimated the water evacuations to have reached at least 5000 by Sunday morning. A Gazan told Israel Radio "Gaza has sunken."



The dangerous flooding follows a decision by Hamas to shut down a local power station rather than pay taxes on fuel to Fatah, a shutdown which caused at least one pump station to flood and three others to approach an overflow.

Despite dealing with its own storm emergencies, Israel is transferring fuel, pumping equipment and other supplies into the region in the aftermath of the storm later Sunday. 

Meanwhile, snow begins to subside in Jerusalem and across the country. At least 13,000 people are estimated to still be without power as of Sunday morning. 



Floating through Gaza Flash90



Man stands in heavily damaged kitchen, Tel Aviv Flash90



Ravaged living room, Tel Aviv Flash90



Water running through the streets, Tel Aviv Flash90



Severe flooding, Tel Aviv Flash90

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