A burst of winter rain accompanied by lightning and thunder began overnight Monday across Israel, bringing an abrupt end to a warm, dry spell.

The storm front caused strong winds, flooding and mudslides, blocking roads and disrupting power in some areas.

Flooding led to multiple road closures in the south of the country, including parts of Routes 40, 227, 206 and 463. Widespread flooding was also reported in several communities in Samaria and Binyamin, where rescue teams were stationed at various sites to assist in evacuating residents. About 10 people were rescued from their homes in Elkana, in the northwestern Samarian hills.

A power outage was reported in Kiryat Tivon and surrounding areas in the Haifa District in the north. Lightning struck a tree in Kibbutz Gesher in the Jordan Valley, sparking a fire.

Strong winds damaged a section of the separation fence between Mount Hebron and Beersheba.

As of Tuesday morning, about 4 inches of rain fell in Ariel and its surroundings, and about 5 inches was measured in Neve Tzuf in Samaria within four hours—the largest amount of rainfall for the date. In Mevo Dotan in northern Samaria, about 2 inches fell, in the Lachish area about 1.4 inches, in Haifa about 1.3 inches and in Modiin about 1.3 inches. In the rest of the country rainfall was less significant, ranging from trace amounts to about 0.6 inches.

The rain was expected to ease by early afternoon, with cooler temperatures persisting.

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