Winter storm Barbara arrived in Israel and although rainfall has been in check so far, strong blasts of wind ripped trees from their roots and sent debris flying in the air on Monday, causing a fair deal of damage across the country.
Rescue services reported that trees have given in to furious wind gusts in Or Yehuda, Haifa, and Giv'atayim.
In the central city Or Yehuda, a 13-year-old girl was mildly injured after a tree came down crashing in the street. She was transported by the Magen David Adom (MDA) ambulance service to Sheba Medical Center for medical treatment.
An 81-year-old man fell due to the strong winds in Tel Aviv and sustained mild injuries. Not far away from there, a 33-year-old woman was also mildly injured after being hit by an object blown by the wind.
A cyclist was moderately wounded on HaMasger St. after a glass window was torn from one of the buildings and hit her on the head. MDA paramedics who treated her said that the helmet she was wearing saved her from severe injuries and even death.
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Scaffolding collapsed at construction site in Ashdod due to strong winds
(Photo: Meshulam Vizel)
The strong winds led to the collapse of scaffolding at a construction site on Rabbi Akiva St. in the southern city of Ashdod. Firefighters who arrived at the scene reported that the scaffolding had hit a power line and the commander of the force ordered to cut off electricity to the site. The incident ended without casualties.
In the northern city of Tirat Carmel, strong winds blow an electric boiler off the rooftop of a residential building on Yoseftal St., leaving a gaping hole in the ceiling of an apartment on the upper floor. Firefighters that arrived at the scene cut the power to the apartment.
Winds can reach speeds as high as 70-100 km/h (45-65 mph), and rainfall is expected to come trickling in in central Israel in the late morning hours with chance of flooding.
Forecasters warn that Tuesday is expected to be the coldest day of the storm with temperatures plunging to their lowest this season. By Wednesday, the winds will subside but there will still be showers throughout the day. Barbara is expected to be over by Thursday.