Floods overwhelm Gaza

Dead chickens are seen after a chicken farm flooded in the town of Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, January 26, 2016. Photo by AP

Flooding carries away cars, causes massive damage in Gaza

By Ma’an news
February 22, 2016

GAZA — Heavy rainfall in the Gaza Strip has caused massive flood damage in the enclave, the Gaza-based Palestinian Civil Defence office said.

The office said flood waters have carried away cars, uprooted trees and entered homes in the besieged Palestinian territory during the past two days of downpour.

In Khan Younis, emergency response teams rescued a number of passengers from two cars that washed off the road into a pool of water during a flash-flood.

Palestinian authorities in Gaza have had to evacuate at least six homes due to the flooding in al-Nimsawi neighbourhood, south of Khan Younis.

The Civil Defence office has also responded to at least five fires cause by flood damage to gas and electric lines, three of which were in southern Gaza and two in Rafah city.

Gaza authorities said emergency response teams were on call, and urged residents not to hesitate when assistance is needed.

Gaza has been hit by severe flooding in the past, exacerbating the dire situation faced by Palestinians in the blockaded and war-torn coastal enclave, where thousands of Gazans have been unable to rebuild their homes after Israel’s 2014 offensive.

Last month, schools were closed in Gaza for several days as emergency teams struggled to evacuate homes during flooding. Gaza authorities reported at the time that Khan Younis and Rafah city were the worst hit by the heavy rainfall.

A Palestinian boy gets out of his father’s car amidst flood waters during a winter storm in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip January 25, 2016. Photo by Ibraheem Abu Mustafa, Reuters.