Homeless Tel Aviv man dies of hypothermia, as Israel braces for major storm
40-year-old found on street bench in critical condition with clothes soaked from rain; ‘Storm Carmel’ set to hit Israel on Monday with strong winds, heavy rainfall
A homeless man in his 40s died from hypothermia in Tel Aviv on Saturday, as rainfall and high winds lashed northern and coastal areas of Israel.
Magen David Adom (MDA) rescue personnel gave the unidentified man medical treatment at a street bench where he was found in southern Tel Aviv, before transferring him to Ichilov Hospital in the central city in critical condition. He was pronounced dead later by hospital staff.
“The man was lying unconscious on a bench in the street, as he was very cold and his clothes were soaked with water after the heavy rain,” an MDA medic said.
Strong winds and intermittent thunderstorms on Saturday were expected to gradually clear throughout the day, with Sunday set to see a lull in the stormy weather.
However, wintery conditions were set to be back with a vengeance on Monday with the arrival of “Storm Carmel.”
The weather system was given its moniker by a team of Israeli meteorologists in conjunction with their Greek and Cypriot counterparts.
Carmel is set to hit Greece and Cyprus first, with authorities there warning residents to take precautions ahead of potentially dangerous conditions.
The weather depression is expected to bring near-gale force winds and high seas, as well as flooding.
Cyprus state meteorologist Kleanthis Nicolaides, who heads the weather service, told a local news site that the island could see “more rain in a single weekend than all of rain combined in one month.”
Cyprus residents were advised to plan to stay home on Saturday evening and throughout Sunday until the storm has passed.
The storm will then hit Israel on Monday, with conditions expected to ease by Wednesday.
The Times of Israel Community.