[VIDEO LINK BELOW] The badly-needed rainfall has caused flooding and havoc in a number of areas, primarily in the south. Routes 60 and 40 are closed in the Dead Sea, Kibbutz S’dei Boker and other southern areas on Monday morning due to life-threatening flash floods.

In one case, two IDF officers in a jeep were being swept away in the direction of the Egyptian border, rescued by the air force’s elite 669 airborne rescue unit. 669 soldiers also rescued three people from a truck, who were flown to Uvda air force base and then taken to Eilat for medical attention.

On route 12, two Israel Electric Company transformers exploded or short-circuited on Monday morning, resulting in the closure of the road as well. 12 southern communities were totally cut off from services due to the rainfall on Monday morning.

Alon Tzaddok, the secretary of Moshav Elon Barnea explained that in his over 30 years in the community, he never saw so much rainfall in such a short period of time. He stated all the wadis (nachals) in the area are flowing but due to the rapid rise of the water levels, all area infrastructure has been wiped out, including water and electricity. Choppers have been deployed to bring basic supplies to the community of 25 families and some 250 foreign workers living in the Beersheva area community. Tzaddok stated that nothing he has seen in 33 years in the community compares to the amazing amount of rainfall, which began at about 3:00am Monday.

Moti Minka, a resident of Beit Aryeh, a flood tracker, explains he was very busy during the night in the Nachal Tzeilim area, which runs off into the Dead Sea. He called the visual attraction “indescribable,” explaining he and his colleagues arrived in the area at 2:30am in ten jeeps, taking up position in anticipation of the major rainfall, explaining this exceeded anything he has seen in the past. “This is simply a phenomenon of nature that one cannot describe. One must see it to understand and fully appreciate it”.

Egged on Monday morning suspended bus service to Eilat from Jerusalem, Haifa and Tel Aviv due to flooding conditions. In addition, bus service between Beersheva, Ein Geidi and Mitzpei Rimon was halted due to flooded roadways.

Travel advisories are in effect for southern areas due to the probability of flash floods. Ending on a positive note, a Beersheva wadi which has been dry for close to a decade is reportedly flowing, boasting an increasing water level. Many southern area schools were also closed.

VIDEO LINK OF TODAY’S RAIN STORMS: http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/video_viewer.php?clip=_nycrNQRKAA&player=y

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)