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by IMEMC & Agencies

The Palestinian Civil Defense reported that the storm that its hitting Palestine, and nearby countries, have caused several casualties and excessive destruction of property as rainfall flooded more than 400 homes while four Palestinians were killed after they were swept by the flooding rain.

The Palestinian Police and the Civil Defense reported that they located the bodies of two young women who went missing Tuesday after being swept by a flood east of Tulkarem, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank.

Salah Najeeb, head of the Anabta Town Council, reported that the bodies were found between the Anabta and Ennaba, and were moved to the Rafidia Hospital in Nablus.

The two women were identified as Hana’ Samir As-Samiri, and Samah Waleed Canaan, both from Nablus, and went missing while heading to Nablus from Tulkarem. Later on, the driver of the car they traveled with was located and was moved to a local hospital in Tulkarem, his health condition was described as mild.

Acting governor of Tulkarem, Sa’id Al-Fatateen, stated that rescue teams are still trying to locate a missing resident who was swept by the flood near Jabara south of Tulkarem.

The Public Relations Department at the Civil Defense Department reported that more than 500 Palestinians have been injured in the West Bank due to the current storm, adding that more than 400 homes have been flooded.

It added that more than 300 residents have been rescued in Tulkarem district, and more than 120 Palestinians have been injured in Jenin where 130 homes have been flooded. Six children and a total of 23 residents were rescued in Jaba’ and Anza villages.

50 homes have been flooded in Tubas district, in central West Bank; 40 residents have been injured, and more than 100 homes have been evicted. In Ramallah and Jericho, more than 30 residents have been injured and 20 homes have been evicted.

More than 34 homes have been totally flooded in the Gaza Strip and dozens of residents were evicted. The Civil Defense in Gaza reported that an area in Rafah, in southern Gaza, was also flooded and rescue teams are still evicting the residents and trying to move them to a safer area.

15 more homes were destroyed due to the flood and 14 vehicles have been flooded in the middle of the streets.

Rescue teams had to use Palestinian fishing boats to rescue 25 families in the Al-Jneina area in Rafah after it was totally flooded by the rain, while 300 more homes could be flooded if the rain continues.

15 Palestinians have been injured due to storm related accidents, such as traffic accidents while others were hit by objects swept by the wind and the rain and others fell from high distances. Most of the wounded residents suffered mild-to-moderate injuries while two children suffered serious injuries and were moved to the Gaza European Hospital. This storm is the first of its kind to hit Palestine in several decades.
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Biggest winter storm in decade slams Israel

By Haaretz

Bodies of two women found after car swept away in flooding near Tul Karm as storm enters its third day; many schools in north will be closed due to snowfall on Mount Hermon and Galilee; some of Tel Aviv's railway stations are still closed.

Read complete story at News Source Links

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2 women found dead in West Bank floods

ULKAREM (Ma’an) -- Police and rescue workers on Wednesday found the bodies of two women killed after their car was swept away by floods in the northern West Bank.

The victims were identified as Samah Kanan, 36, and Hana Al-Sarawi, 24, both from Nablus.

They went missing on Tuesday evening, and were found on the road between Anabta village and Enab checkpoint east of Tulkarem. The driver of their car was found unharmed and taken to a Tulkarem hospital.
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