Eilat's streets became streams
צילום: מאיר אוחיון
Flash floods and golf-ball-sized hail in Eilat
A low-pressure system coming from Egypt causes a heavy storm in Eilat; about 430 high school students have to be evacuated after heavy floods stranded them in parking lots; Eilat Airport is shut down.
Heavy rain and hail hit Eilat early Wednesday morning, causing floods and shutting down the city's airport.
130 high school students from the Upper Galilee who were on a trip were stranded in a parking lot and safely rescued by the city's fire department.
Flash floods across the south (צילום: ערן כץ, רשות שדות התעופה, רן רימון, שימי אילוז)
Two groups of about 300 other high school students were stranded in another parking lot and were also safely evacuated.
Road became river (Photo: Meir Ohayon) (צילום: מאיר אוחיון)
Police stated that the students were camping when they were hit by heavy rains and hail. Many volunteers arrived and helped with the evacuation efforts.
The Eilat Airport was shut down after the runway was flooded by rain and sediment. Mateo-tech Meteorologist Avi Yaakov Zada said that "we're experiencing what we call a southern storm – a low-pressure system coming from Egypt passed over us over the night causing downpours in the south, especially in Eilat and the Arabah."
Photo: Ido Cohen (צילום: עידו דהן)
Photo: Remez Dabach (צילום: רמז דבח)
According to meteorologists, the weather is expected to last throughout the day. Heavy rain, wind and thunderstorms are expected with the addition of a high risk for floods in southern streams and rivers.
The police has released a list of places currently flooded and places with a high risk of floods, warning people to avoid these places for their own safety.
