Storms cause flooding in southeast Europe, Levant

Days of heavy rain and strong winds have caused flooding across parts of southeast Europe and the Levant.

Cyprus, Lebanon, Syria and Israel have all felt the brunt of the stormy weather which has caused flooding and widespread disruption.

Tel Aviv was particularly badly hit. The city, situated on Israel’s Mediterranean coast, recorded 102 millimetres of rain in 24 hours on Saturday – 42mm of that total fell in just 20 minutes. That amounts to around 70 per cent of the entire January average rainfall. 

Within two hours, 74mm of rain brought flash flooding across much of the city. Police were called in to help residents who were trapped in their homes or vehicles. Emergency services reported two people drowned after getting trapped in a lift.

Further south, the Palestinian territory of Gaza also experienced heavy rains which flooded several streets but there were no reports of casualties.

Earlier in the week, parts of Cyprus had to take emergency measures after torrential rains struck the island.

Limassol municipality in the south was among the worst hit with serious problems reported in the area of the medieval castle in the centre of the city.

The next few days will see further spells of heavy rain, along with damaging strong to gale-force winds, bringing choppy waters and heavy seas across the eastern side of the Mediterranean.