Beaches from Rishon Lezion to Netanya shut as rains flush Tel Aviv sewage into sea

The Health Ministry is advising bathers against swimming in beaches spanning a large chunk of the country’s Mediterranean coast, after heavy rains swept runoff from Tel Aviv’s sewers into the sea.

Authorities say beaches from central Rishon Lezion to Netanya will be closed to swimming due to the polluted waters. The approximately 40-kilometer (25 mile) zone covers the heavily populated Gush Dan region, including beaches in Tel Aviv, Bat Yam, Herzliya, and Poleg, as well as a number of nature reserves.

“The Health Ministry warns against swimming in these beaches until the rains stop and water tests come back clean,” the ministry says.

The remnants of storm Daniel dumped some 36 millimeters of water on areas north of Tel Aviv in a few hours today, amounting to some 7% of the yearly average for the area, according to the Israel Meteorological Service.

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