Four hikers killed when swept away in Judean Desert floods
Hikers attached to same rope were swept away together; rescue forces evacuate several others.
By Jonathan LisFour hikers were killed Saturday in flash floods near the archeological site of Qumran in the Judean Desert.
The four hikers who died are 24-year-old Tal Alon from Moshav Mei Ami, and three 23-year-olds: Dror Koren from Herzeliya, Noa Shapira from Kfar Saba and Amit Gotleib from Rehovot.
A group of 11 hikers abseiling down a cliff had got stuck because of a flood in the usually dry river bed. Rescue forces evacuated 7 of the hikers, but four others drowned in the rising waters.
"It was an enormous amount of water, coming down in several falls of 40 to 50 meters (130-160 feet)," rescue team member Chemi Leib told Channel One television. "These guys were hanging on their ropes and when that amount of water arrives there's no chance to survive it."
A second group of some 14 hikers was safely evacuated from the area.
The groups were hiking near the remains of the village of Qumran, best known as the settlement closest to the cave in which Dead Sea Scrolls were found.
Rainfall in the Judean Desert is generally scarce, averaging less than 50mm a year.
The fatal flood was not as big as those that occur during the winter when run off accumulates in the Judean mountains and then flows towards the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth not covered by ice or water.
Saturday's cloudburst lasted less than an hour and was limited to a relatively small area. The run off quickly flooded the small drainage area of the Qumran stream which resulted in the strong flow of water.
Hikers have no way of keeping informed on the potentially hazardous weather conditions because no metereological organization is responsible for alerting the public.
However, group organizers who call the Israel Nature and Parks Authority receive information on whether or not to enter the ravines of seasonal streams.
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A flash flood at a Judean Desert stream. (Ofer Vaknin) |
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i can't even believe you are all bickering over this. four wonderful lives were lost on this day. it is such an awful thing to hear no matter what day of the week or what cirumstances. i send my deepest condolensces to their families and loved ones.
You dare to speak in the name of G-d, you have no mercy neither sympathy to the families which have lost their dear ones.
I find it reprehensible for people who speak in the name of Judaism to blame the Shabbat for this tragedy. It is not for us to decide or understand the actions of G-d and actually according to Judaism it is wrong to try and place any blame or reason on the victims for such a terrible tragedy. May their memories be blessed and their families comforted.
If you take me casualy (pick and choose which commandments to keep/change the T/ believe things happen by coincedence instead of H yitbrach) then I will behave towards you in a fury of casualness. I will strike you down seven ways for your sins!! 4000 katushas hit all exploded the causa;ty rate itself is a miracle let alone the FACT that the only katusha that didnt explode hit a power station which would of killed thousands of people if exploded. Coincedence hey !! Wake up Israel you stiff knecked people look and you will see !! = This weeks parasha
It is most important to exercise caution in absailing events and other adventures. You must always have an experienced instructor present and follow their advice and guidelines. Four young lives have been lost. Four lives that had they lived could have spurned hundreds of young Israelis in the course of three or four generations. It is really extremely sad.
Prayers for the families.
My condolences to the families of these young people.
First of all, condolences to the families. Second. It was shabbos. Those who keep the shabbos are protected by it, and those who do not - are not. Third. It *was* known that there would be rainfall in Jerusalem today. They should have known this, You could find it on all meteorologicla sites. And anyone who is ABSEILING from a rope in the desert is supposed to have a BRAIN capable of coming up with the idea to CHECK THE WEATHER. In my view, the leader of the group (if he survived) should be prosecuted for criminal negligence leading to death. I myself was in the area just a week ago, and I only went into the riverbed knowing for SURE that there would NOT be any rain anywhere in the country (and wide surroundings) that day. I checked all forecasts, radar images, satellite images. Only when I was completely certain that there would not be any rain in the entire country did I enter the riverbed. Apparently, these guys neglected that, and paid the price for it. BE PREPARED.
Mayer, you are right. The world is so blind it is beyond the point of even recognizing what the weekly Torah portion of today tells us. FOllow my laws, all will be fine. Break them, and you will be broken. But I would not blame the poor kids, they are but victims of an Israel gone madly in love with anything and everything that represents a life without God. Maxim girls? Hooters? This is what Israel wants to show the world? Israel, you cowardly deny your own history and destiny for temporary hope of love from the world, yet the world only resents and hates you more for this weakness. Shabbat is a day to pray, eat and swim in the waters of our faith.
Shabbat is not a time to go hiking.
Guys-cut the political crap & sympathise for those 4 dead people & their families. HAVE SOME HEART!
Guys it's a real tragedy but still it's probably meteorological and not as printed. Best, CP
ISRAEL PROPER.
Judean Desert....note the correct name for the place....it is not the west bank desert
Flash floods are not caused by the minimal rain which falls in the Dead sea area, but by rainfall on the Jerusalem and Hebron hills; it races down over 1000, descent in 20 or so kilometres - hence the devastating power of a flood when it reaches its outlet into the Rift valley.
condolences to the victims? sorry i have one question is the old town of qumran in the westbank or israel proper?
Bless them & sincere condolensces to their families