Parents and child rescued from van caught up in flood in south, as rains lash Israel

Several highways closed or restricted; Fire and Rescue Service warns of life-threatening floods as storm batters country; Mount Hermon ski resort closed

Emergency crews on Sunday rescued three members of a family whose car was caught in a flooded streambed in southern Israel as heavy rains lashed the country and deluges and closed several major roads.

The three, parents and a child, were hospitalized with minor injuries after being rescued from the flash flood, the Fire and Rescue Service said in a statement.

The three were in a van that was overtaken by rushing waters in Abu Joda, a small Bedouin hamlet on the outskirts of Kseifa, east of Beersheba.

Pictures and video showed rescuers using an inflatable raft to reach the van, with water rising to windshield level.

The Fire and Rescue Service, reporting the incident, warned Israelis, “Do not enter flooded roads; it is an immediate danger to your life.”

Authorities also said three people who were reported trapped by floodwaters in Nahal Halmut, to the west of Beersheba, had been rescued.

Amid the storms, Route 234 was closed until further notice, while Route 90 was closed from Dragot Junction to Ein Bokek hotels area by the Dead Sea, in both directions.

On Mount Hermon in northern Israel, some two centimeters (0.8 inches) of snow fell overnight. The ski site was closed Sunday due to the stormy weather.

A string of rainy and cold weather kicked off over the weekend. Parts of northern Israel in the Karmiel area saw nearly 50 millimeters (2 inches) of rainfall on Saturday.

Rains continued overnight, with the largest quantity recorded in the southern city of Ofakim, where 25.5 millimeters (1 inch) fell between midnight and 6 a.m. Sunday.

Despite the heavy rains, the level in the Sea of Galilee increased by only one centimeter (0.4 inches) over 24 hours.

The water level remains at 41.5 cm (16.3 inches) below the so-called lower red line — the level at which water quality declines and causes damage to the ecological balance. In recent months authorities have begun pumping desalinated water in the lake.

In the coming day, Jerusalem and Beersheba were expected to be hit with some 25-35 millimeters (1-1.4 inches) more rain.

Tel Aviv, Lod, and Ashdod were expected to receive some 15-25 mm (0.6-1 in), while areas in the north were expected to see 5-15 mm (0.2-0.6 in).

On Monday, heavy rains are again expected, concentrated in the center of the country and the West Bank, with the Israel Meteorological Service forecasting 60-80 mm (2.4-3.1 in) within a few hours in the first half of the day, along with winds up to 90-100 km/h (56-62 mph).