While no serious injuries were reported, several individuals were airlifted to Haifa's Rambam hospital with cases of hypothermia.
By DANIEL K. EISENBUDUpdated: JANUARY 28, 2018 02:47Passengers in a vehicle stuck in the Jordan River are evacuated (Police Spokesperson's Unit)
Incessant rainfall in the northern and central regions during the weekend resulted in multiple flash floods, requiring over 30 search and rescue operations by police, firefighters, IDF helicopters and Magen David Adom first responders to extricate marooned drivers.No serious injuries were reported.On Friday night, police said at least 20 people became stranded near the Lake Kinneret’s Hilazon Stream after flooding engulfed the area, necessitating jeeps and helicopters to rescue them.According to MDA, at least seven vehicles were carried off by the flooding.Two people suffering from hypothermia were airlifted to Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center, while a third person with mild hypothermia was taken by ambulance to Nahariya’s Galilee Medical Center.Several vehicles were also swept away by flooding while attempting to cross the Jordan River, requiring six more rescue operations, police said.Also on Friday, a father and son were rescued when their vehicle was carried away by flooding near the Upper Galilee’s Nahal Kziv Stream. Neither was injured, police said.In Hadera and Netanya, several streets were closed and hundreds of homes lost power due to dangerous levels of flooding. A concrete wall collapsed on three vehicles in Tamra, although no injuries were reported, police said.Meanwhile, an animal shelter in Kibbutz Yakum, near Netanya, sustained serious damage, leaving more than 50 dogs without refuge.More than 48 cm. of snow fell on Mount Hermon, 10 cm. fell on the northern Golan Heights, and 5 cm. fell in Safed, resulting in temporary road closures.
Jerusalem did not receive any snow.The Kinneret rose 15 cm. since the rains began on Thursday. Still, the level remains 1.01 meters below the lower red line, and 86 cm. above the black line (below which pumping water would damage the lake’s ecological system). It is 5.21 meters below the upper red line, that is being full.