Hiking trails, roads shut in north and south of Israel as storms cause flooding

Warnings of flash floods; rain expected to continue through Tuesday

Hiking trails in southern Israel and some parts of the north were shut on Saturday as rainstorms brought flooding to those areas.

The south of the country saw its most significant rainfall so far this winter, with some locations seeing up to 12 millimeters (0.47 inches) of precipitation.

Police said two sections of Highway 40 were closed due to the flooding and advised motorists to avoid the area.

Flash floods often prove to be deadly in Israel, with the south of the country particularly vulnerable to sudden rushes of water.

The rain is expected to continue on Sunday and into Monday.

Saturday’s rainfall came after Israel was hit last month by Storm Carmel, which caused the deaths of four people.

שבת גשומה: זרימה בנחל צין @Itsik_zuarets
צילום: נילי דבש, רשות הטבע והגנים pic.twitter.com/leiazE7UZr

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Three homeless men died in Bat Yam and Tel Aviv, with officials assessing that they died of hypothermia. The fourth fatality resulted from a car crash caused by the weather conditions.