B’chasdei Hashem, after the Shabbos rainfall, Kinneret officials report an increase of 15 centimeters (5.9 inches) in the past week.

Since the beginning of this winter season, the increase has been 2.57 meters (8.43 feet).

This year was indeed critical, as Water Authority officials warned if the Kinneret does not gain considerably, it will reach the point of no return and the fresh water may become salinated, rendering it non usable as a source of potable water forever.

The winter storm front that is currently dropping precipitation all across Israel brought abundant rains on Sunday and is set to continue on Monday as well. The rain has been accompanied by thunder storms in a large part of the country. In addition to the much needed rain, the storm also brought damage.

The wall and part of an apartment in eastern Nazareth collapsed in what authorities have said was a mild landslide caused by the rains. The elderly couple who lives in the apartment, aged 80 and 75 respectively, were residing in a different room when the wall and roof collapsed and were not injured. The city is taking upon itself the repair of the apartment.

On Highway 91 near HaShiryon intersection in the Golan Heights, a driver lost control of his car due to a flash flood that swept across the road. The car and driver were swept into the ditch by the side of the road. The two occupants of the car were evacuated from the car without injury.

Israeli Police, who had joined their Palestinian counterparts in searching for a missing man from Shechem found the man’s body late on Sunday afternoon in Wadi Kaneh in Western Samaria. Search and Rescue Teams including a helicopter had conducted a lengthy search in storm conditions in an effort to find the missing man.

Snow fell on the Hermon and the visitors center will be closed again tomorrow due to the storm. More than 111 millimeters of rain fell in one day on the Golan and the northern regions of Israel. The water flow in the Qazrin waterfall has been reported as being particularly dramatic to watch. On Har Sdom and the rest of the eastern Negev a little bit of rainfall was reported.

The Kinneret, whose level has continued to rise since the onset of the winter, received 30 millimeters of rainfall, while Ma’alot received more than 90.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)