The coast guard on Monday issued a warning to swimmers in Lake Kinneret, explaining the years of dwindling rainfall have resulted in the Kinneret shrinking, resulting in more beach surface area and a diminishing body of water, with the lake taking on smaller dimensions.

As such, officials explain, one may swim as little as ten meters (30 yards) from shore and in one step, the depth of the water can change from 6 feet to over 30 feet, a reality that can lead to disaster, especially for little children or poor swimmers.

A coast guard patrol equipped with the ability to measure the depth under the boat continues to measure the water in the area frequented by swimmers and is finding a growing number of areas exhibiting the phenomenon, prompting the warning to swimmers.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)