Flooding on Saturday
Flooding on Saturdayצילום: משטרת ישראל

Following the tragic drowning of a young couple in a flooded elevator, Fire & Rescue Services issued instructions on how to how to exercise caution during flooding and stormy weather.

  • During stormy weather or flooding, refrain from using elevators in parking lots on ground level or below due to the chance of getting stuck.
  • If you live in an apartment below ground level, leave your home immediately to a safe area above ground, at which rescue services will be able to notice and assist you if necessary.
  • In an incident of flooding, do not approach sources of flowing water and river channels due to the risk of the collapse of riverbanks and the powerful flow which can lead to being swept away in the water flow.
  • Don't cross water sources and areas with strong water flows (even with SUVs). This poses a substantive risk to life!
  • Don't cross flooded roads if you can't estimate their depth.
  • In any incidence of danger, call 102 immediately and summon firefighters.
  • Listen and update yourself from time to time through various forms of media and social media to the instructions of the Fire and Rescue Services.

Dean Shoshani and Stav Harari, a young couple in their 20s were trapped when an elevator became flooded in the basement of a residential building in south Tel Aviv during heavy rains on Saturday. According to officials, the elevator became stuck following a power outage and filled with water.

Residents heard banging on the elevator doors and summoned rescue services. Due to the heavy flooding in the area, rescue services were deluged with thousands of calls and took about a half-hour to arrive.

Special rescue teams and divers were dispatched to the scene and a complex and difficult rescue operation was carried out in an area with zero visibility. Unfortunately, by the time the rescue teams rescued the victims, their situation was critical and their deaths were determined at the hospital.