Israel was bracing for major snowstorms.
Municipal authorities in Jerusalem, the Golan Heights and other Israeli highland areas went on alert Tuesday for blizzards expected overnight.
The snowstorms were preceded by gale-force winds that snarled traffic and, at one point, prompted Ben Gurion Airport to turn away several incoming flights. A ship in Haifa port became unmoored in the wind and drifted to sea.
Israel has seen low temperatures this winter but no extensive snow. At least 10 people, most of them homeless, have died of hypothermia in the unusual cold snaps. Israeli police and volunteers on Tuesday searched city streets for vagrants, arranging emergency indoor accommodation for them.
The snowfall was expected to last from Wednesday until the weekend.
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