A roaring gale pounded port facilities at Eilat last night with 15 foot waves, and caused damages estimated at 2, 000, 000 pounds ($555, 000).
The winds swept away parts of new port facilities under construction and portions of a only drained area. The heaviest damage was inflicted on a special crane mounted on a 51ft raft. Technicians were compelled to blow up the crane because it had weakened supports on part of a new Jetty. A number of rafts and motor ships, as well as fishing boats, were swept out to sea and either sank or were battered on to the shore.
The gale subsided toward morning today, but the waters were still muddy. The damage may Jeopardise the timetable for activation of the new port facilities. A six month delay is expected because many of the wrecked machines, cranes and rafts must be ordered from a head.
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.
