3 people missing amid flash flood fears in south; roads from Eilat shut

Police and rescue services are searching for three people with whom contact was lost and who were traveling in a vehicle near Nahal Tsichor in southern Israel, between Mitzpe Ramon and Eilat, amid fears of a flash flood in the area late Monday.

The trio managed to contact authorities and let them know the vehicle was caught up in a flood, Channel 12 reported. Contact has been lost for several hours, according to the report.

Authorities have closed to traffic all northward roads from the southern city of Eilat for fears of flash floods. Police had earlier warned of potential flash floods in the Judean Desert and closed segments of two highways running through southern Israel.

Earlier tonight, three women caught up in their vehicle in a flood near Eilat were rescued and transported to Yoseftal Hospital in the city for frostbite treatment, police said.

The Israeli military says IDF forces have rescued 26 civilians as of midnight tonight in southern Israel, in cooperation with the Israel Police, Magen David Adom, the Israel Fire and Rescue Services and regional rescue units.

The IDF asks “citizens to show responsibility and not go near the flood areas,” it says in a statement.