The Israel Electric Corporation has warned of renewed misery for customers, with blackouts once again possible due to an approaching storm.
The IEC said Tuesday that its meteorologists were forecasting strong winds which have the potential to form dust clouds and even an all-out sandstorm. Those conditions could well knock out power lines in some areas, once again leaving thousands of Israelis in the dark.
From late afternoon Tuesday forecasters are predicting thunderstorms and intense rain and wind, with the brief respite from wintry weather coming to an abrupt end. Hazy, cloudy conditions are expected throughout the rest of today and tomorrow.
Still reeling from the criticism of its poor performance in dealing with widespread blackouts last month, the IEC says that this time round it is preparing for all eventualities and will be mobilizing all its resources to react quickly to any reports of blackouts.
It has also issued advisories for customers, saying that in the event of torn power cables or physical damage to electrical installations people should not approach and instead report the damage immediately to the IEC, either via its app or by dialing 103.
It also advised people to secure any units or other items which could become dislodged as a result of strong winds, such as water boilers, flower pots, window shutters.