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A day after two people drowned in a Tel Aviv parking lot that flooded due to heavy downpour, rain and thunderstorms continue to batter central Israel on Sunday.
At least 83 mm (3.27 inches) of rain fell in central, coastal Israeli cities on Saturday within just a few hours, causing widespread flooding and forcing road closures.
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Water flows into the parking lot where 2 people drowned
(Video: Edison Anler)
Heavy rains flooded an underground parking lot in southern Tel Aviv, trapping two people in an elevator, which had filled up with water, leading to the couple's drowning.
Rescue crews had to use scuba gear to reach the elevator and pull out the couple, but both had died shortly after arriving at a hospital. The two victims have been identified as Dean Shoshani and Stav Harari, both 25-years-old.
There are still fears of widespread flooding in central Israel as well as the Judean Desert and the Jordan Valley.
In addition, snowfall, which began early Saturday, is expected to continue on Mount Hermon and the Golan Heights. Israel’s only ski resort remains closed to visitors but is expected to open its doors to tourists once the storm system passes.
The Government Water and Sewage Authority reported that the Sea of Galilee's water level rose by two centimeters (0.8 inches) overnight, standing at 211.48 meters below sea level.
Since Thursday, the water level has risen by 5 centimeters (2 inches) and by a total of 42 cm (16.5 inches) since the start of the Israeli winter season.
The Sea of Galilee is still 2.68 meters (8.8 feet) short of reaching its full capacity.
Although on Monday and Tuesday the rainfall will stop and the temperatures will begin to rise, on Wednesday the storm system is expected to hit with a renewed force, spreading throughout the country.
Snowfalls are set to hit Mount Hermon and the Golan Heights and floods are expected to hit the Judean Desert, the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea and the northern Negev.