Roads were flooded, telephonic communications disrupted and outdoor work in many areas halted by a heavy downpour during the past 24 hours in all parts of Israel. Even the usually dry southern Negev and the port of Eilat received a fair amount of rain.
Work was stopped in Haifa, Israel’s main port, and all emergency crews were alerted when two Greek fishing boats entered the harbor in a search for shelter from gale winds and waves.
The main telephone lines in Haifa, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem were cut by heavy waters which washed away telephone polls and uprooted huge trees. In Tel Aviv, a wooden hut collapsed, slightly injuring its two occupants. Generally, however, Government officials, particularly in the Agriculture Ministry, welcomed the rainfalls as likely to help the winter crops which have been suffering from insufficient rain.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
