Several Israelis were injured, and at least one was found dead, as Storm Byron made landfall in Israel throughout Thursday. Severe flooding and heavy winds were recorded across the country.
Due to severe flooding, Ashkelon has opened an emergency response center and is conducting a situational assessment, Walla reported on Friday morning.
Seven people were rescued from flooding in their homes by emergency personnel in Beit Shikma near Ashkelon.
Emergency services are also searching for a 19-year-old from Bnei Brak who has not been seen since Wednesday night, believed to have been swept away by flooding in the area, Israel Police said. A woman who was feared missing in Tel Aviv's Yarkon River was found by ZAKA rescue personnel and was evacuated to receive medical treatment.
Flooding along highways and roads in central Israel trapped drivers in their vehicles. Magen David Adom (MDA) said its paramedics were dispatched to flood scenes to help evacuate people stranded on roads amid heavy storms.
Two children were also swept away into a water canal in Beit Shemesh, but were later rescued in mild condition, Army Radio reported.
At least 14 Israelis were rescued from vehicles stuck in eight severe flooding hot spots in Yavne, the Fire and Rescue Authority reported. The Yavne Municipality declared a state of emergency amid the heavy floods.
Later in the afternoon, the municipality clarified that the roads would open as soon as it was safe and that local forces were swiftly dealing with any incidents in the area.
Footage from Yavne showed severe floods across the city, including inside a Rami Levy supermarket, which prompted its emergency closure.
The Nahariya Municipality, in a weather-related advisory to its residents, said: “Due to the heavy rains that have been falling in the city in the last hour, we recommend that the public avoid nonessential outings.”
It also advised local residents to avoid using elevators to access underground parking garages or attempting to cross flooded roads.
Heavy flooding was also recorded at the Tel Aviv Promenade.
Two young men in Tel Aviv were rescued by MDA paramedics when their car sank into mud near Eitan Livni Street.
Ongoing disruptions to transportation
Storm conditions led to numerous disruptions of transportation systems, including road and train closures.
Israel Railways said train traffic between Lod and Beersheba had been temporarily halted “due to a signaling fault in the Kiryat Gat area caused by weather conditions.”
It advised passengers to expect delays and changes in train traffic patterns in the South, adding that rail service to Beersheba via the Western Line would continue operating as usual.
Highway 90 was closed to vehicle traffic from the Nahal David intersection to the Dead Sea hotel complex due to the flooding, the Israel Police reported.
Route 4370 between Ring Road checkpoint and Anatot Square was closed to traffic, the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council reported.
Routes 234 and 232 have also been closed.
Israel Police announced that Route 2932, which was closed earlier, has reopened.
Two students, one woman wounded after tree collapses
In Rishon Lezion, two students were lightly injured after they were hit by a tree that collapsed in the schoolyard due to the strong winds, MDA reported.
MDA paramedics treated the two, aged 10, for head wounds and took them to Shamir Medical Center in Tzrifin.
Later on Thursday evening, a tree fell on a parked vehicle in Holon, MDA reported. MDA paramedics arrived at the scene and took an injured 32-year-old woman to Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer, where she was being treated for a minor neck injury.
Netanya man found dead with signs of severe hypothermia
In the early hours of Thursday morning in Netanya, ZAKA volunteers were summoned after the lifeless body of a 53-year-old man with signs of severe hypothermia was found on Herzl Street.
The body was transferred to the L. Greenberg Institute of Forensic Medicine at Abu Kabir in Tel Aviv.
Lightning struck an electrical pole in Sderot, causing explosion
A massive explosion occurred after lightning struck an electrical pole in Sderot. No injuries were reported.
Tal Spungin, Miriam Sela-Eitam, and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.