Floods in Gaza

Gazans attempt to move a car after heavy rainfall caused the roads to be blocked on 27 November 2017 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Emergency vehicles can be seen after heavy rainfall blocked roads in Gaza on 27 November 2017 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Gazans attempt to move a car after heavy rainfall caused the roads to be blocked on 27 November 2017 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Heavy rainfall caused the roads to be blocked in Gaza on 27 November 2017 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Emergency vehicles can be seen after heavy rainfall blocked roads in Gaza on 27 November 2017 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Dozens of homes and shops flooded and many roads in Gaza City were blocked yesterday night due to heavy rainfall in the Gaza Strip.

Eyewitnesses reported that the areas most affected by the heavy rainfall were Al-Shuja’iyya, Al-Zaytoun, Al-Tuffah, Sheikh Radwan, and Muftaraq Al-Sahaba, as rain water flooded homes and shops in these areas and dragged many cars away.

The emergency department in the Gaza governorate urged citizens not to litter in order to prevent rubbish from being swept away by the rainwater and blocking sewers.

Civil Defence teams rushed to rescue citizens from homes that were flooded. They also used hoses to pump rainwater out of houses. The water level in the streets decreased after midnight, when the rain stopped, and municipality workers continued to pump water towards the sea and large pools.

Heavy rainfall caused the roads to be blocked in Gaza on 27 November 2017 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Heavy rainfall caused the roads to be blocked in Gaza on 27 November 2017 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

An emergency rescue team can be seen after heavy rainfall blocked roads in Gaza on 27 November 2017 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

An emergency rescue team can be seen after heavy rainfall blocked roads in Gaza on 27 November 2017 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]