IAF, Navy rescue people stranded by floods
Floods caused by heavy rains see emergency services ask Unit 669, INF teams to help extract people stranded in various locations in Israel
The heavy rains and subsequent floods in many parts of Israel have rendered dozens of people stranded due to fast-rising water levels.
Teams from IAF Unit 669, the Air Force's special search and rescue division, were called in to rescue civilians who found themselves trapped by the water.
Related stories:
Fifteen people had to escape to the roof of their building in Baqa-jatt, near Haifa, after the area was flooded. The Air Force has been able to rescue them and they were taken to Hillel Yaffe Medical Center in Hadera in mild condition.
Floods in Hadera (Photo: George Ginsburg)
A second 699 team was called to Lake Alexander, north of Netanya, to rescue seven people who escape the rising water levels by climbing to the roof of their car.
They were taken to Meir Hospital in Kfar Saba suffering from mild hypothermia.
Floods near Jenin (Photo: AP)
A third team was called in to assist four soldiers who were stranded in the Menashe Spatial Brigade, near the West Bank city of Jenin, but they were eventually able to rescue themselves.
Fire and Rescue and Magen David Adom services rescued three people south of Beit Shean, after their car was swept away by gushing water.
Navy forces and Fire and Rescue Services were also called to assist the residents of Bet Hefer, near Netanya, after a nearby river flooded 200 homes in the area.
INF teams used rafts to rescue people stranded by the flood. Fourteen families were evacuated to safety at a local community center, where they will spend the night.
Using rafts to rescue people (Photo: George Ginsburg)
On Tuesday night, Home Front Defense Minister Avi Dichter ordered his office to open a civil emergency situation room due to the storm and the damages caused by the floods.
The situation room will be manned by police, Home Front Command, and emergency services personnel.
The IDF, Civil Administration and the Palestinian security forces collaborated in several similar rescue operations throughout the West Bank: Seven people were rescued near Jenin, five in Hirbat Jabara and five near Nua a-Shams.
IDF forces also rescued an Arab-Israeli school bus carrying 30 children near Jenin, as well as two cars and an a Palestinian ambulance – all stuck due to rising water.
Ahiya Raved and Yoaz Zitun contributed to this report
- Receive Ynetnews updates
directly to your desktop
