The heavy rains that have swept the nation over the last two weeks are expected to continue into Friday, according to meteorologist reports. Emergency services remain on high alert across the country, and municipalities have put special measures in place from positioning sandbags in key areas to clearing drainage systems in an effort to prevent further casualties or damage. According to the Israel Meteorological Service, heavy rainfall interspersed with thunderstorms is expected to fall in the coastal plains and lowlands over the weekend. Rain is expected in the northern Negev and concerns remain that there could be flooding in the river beds in the Negev. In the Hermon and northern Golan Heights, snow is expected and temperatures will be below average. The meteorological service said that the country broke a 50-year record for the highest amount of rainfall in northern Israel. In the northern coastal plain and Ramot Menashe, some 350 to 400 millimeters accumulated in the last two weeks and more than 400 millimeters fell in the Western and Upper Galilee – in some areas reaching as much as 450 millimeters. The service reported that these amounts of rainfall over a two-week period are highly unusual. Since they started taking official rain measurements 80 years ago, such large quantities of rain were measured in northern Israel only in two cases, in December 1951 and January 1969. Regional councils in the hardest hit areas have cancelled school for another day, including in Nahariya, Mateh Asher, Ma’ale Yosef, Ma’alot-Tarshiha, Acre and Shlomi. On Wednesday, Nahariya and large parts of Acre, Haifa and Krayot were flooded, taking the life of Shlomo Ben Shabat, 38, the seventh known victim of inclement weather in two weeks. Ben Shabat died trying to rescue a mother and daughter trapped in their car during Wednesday’s raging rain when he was swept away by the Ga’aton River and drowned. At his funeral, Nahariya’s mayor Ronen Marley referred to Ben Shabbat as “the hero of the entire country.” President Reuven Rivlin sent a condolence letter to the Ven Shabbat family in which he, too, referred to Ben Shabat as a hero. “From time to time, in critical moments, we find heroes who shine down on us,” he said. “His bravery, his refusal to be a bystander, his courage, touched all our hearts and are examples of humanity and mutual responsibility of the highest order.” Speaking on Israeli radio, Marley said that at least NIS 300 million in damage has been caused to his city. “The government must help Nahariya,” Marley said. “The whole city was destroyed… The city was washed away.” He noted that the residents acted “amazingly” and that if not for the valiant efforts of laymen many more people could have been killed. He said people left their homes and vehicles and took to the streets to help residents in need. On Thursday, several bakery workers in Gan Yavne were rescued after their establishment was flooded. School children were rescued by police forces in the community of Emunim, near Ashdod, when their school flooded, as well. A couple and their one-year-old toddler in Rosh Ha’ayin were forced to evacuate their home in a kayak. And a number of intercity highways in the north and south were blocked due to flooding. Rescue forces said emergency centers around the countries were packed due to the inclement weather. Magen David Adom teams were summons to numerous locations where homes were flooded or vehicles were trapped in the water. Several babies were delivered at home when women could not leave their residences in time due to the high water. Meanwhile, the Insurance Fund for Natural Risks in Agriculture reported that since the storm hit last weekend, there has been estimated NIS 50 million of crop damage. At the same time, the Sea of Galilee had jumped 23 centimeters overnight to 211.10 as of Thursday morning and it is continuing to rise. The Jerusalem Post’s sister paper, Maariv, contributed to this report.
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