Stormy weather causes floods, fires and injuries

Overnight and early morning storms wreaked havoc on Israel Sunday, as rain flooded roads in Tel Aviv and lightning strikes caused several injuries in the West Bank and a fire in Jerusalem.

In the West Bank settlement of Elkana, paramedics treated two Palestinian workers who had apparently been struck by lightning and sustained moderate injuries from a subsequent fall.

Minor flooding on the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv briefly caused the closure of some lanes near the La Guardia Street exit, tying up the morning commute.

Police said at 8:30 a.m. that all the lanes had been opened, but advised commuters to use alternative routes due to continued heavy traffic in the area.

There were also reports that large puddles had gathered on Highway 1 between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, causing delays. Elsewhere, police were called to scenes in Netanya and Ashdod, where people were trapped due to flooded streets.

Israel Railways stopped service south of Ashdod due to a mechanical failure, and passengers reported waiting over an hour for buses to take them to their destinations, according to Israeli news outlet Ynet.

Farther north, a train got stuck in Shefayim, between Herzliya and Netanya, and the railway company had to send a second train out to retrieve the passengers.

Meanwhile, in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Ramot, a fire broke out in a building after lightning struck near a gas pipe, prompting firefighters to shut off the gas.

The Israel Meteorological Service forecasted intermittent showers as well as some isolated thunderstorms throughout the day and evening for most of Israel, with temperatures dropping to unseasonable lows.