Storm Byron Slams Into Beit Shikma, 16 Rescued | WATCH

Emergency response: Reinforcements from across the region

MDA paramedic Yissachar Weiss said that when the emergency calls began arriving at the 101 hotline, it became immediately clear that “this wasn’t an isolated incident but a large-scale flood that could involve many casualties

A centralized treatment station was quickly set up in the community, where medical teams tended to the wounded. Six people in mild condition and a man in his 60s in moderate condition with signs of hypothermia were transported to hospitals. The remaining victims were treated on-site and did not require evacuation.

Meanwhile, firefighters,, assisted by the elite “Lehava” rescue unit and additional emergency teams, continued intensive operations to extract families trapped in flooded homes in Ashkelon and Kiryat Gat. Moshe Weitzman, a senior United Hatzalah medic, said teams remain prepared for additional calls, and ambulances from the Lachish and Shfela districts were dispatched to support operations.

Weather outlook: A pause before more rain

The peak of Storm “Byron” has now passed, and rainfall weakened significantly overnight.

Friday: Rain is expected to taper off later in the day, with temperatures stabilizing around seasonal norms.

Warning: A serious flood risk remains in southern riverbeds; extreme caution is advised.

Shabbat: Mild weather with light, passing showers mainly along the coast and in the Negev.

Monday: A short, single-day rain system is expected to return.