Family Trapped Four Hours in Flooded Tunnel Near Maale Adumim Rescued by Police

A family from Maale Adumim was trapped for four hours in their car inside a tunnel flooded by sudden heavy rains on August 15. Despite the intense summer heat across Israel, the tunnel completely flooded in the afternoon, leaving the family stranded and in need of emergency assistance. The father described the situation to N12, saying the water reached the car windows and criticized the poor drainage maintenance, noting that a municipal worker attempted to clear blocked drains with a stick.

Police forces arrived at the scene and recognized the life-threatening danger. They carefully entered the flooded area with a police jeep, reached the submerged vehicle, and rescued the family through the car windows. Officers used a safety net attached to the car windshield to help the family hold on during the extraction, moving them to the roof of their vehicle and then to the police vehicle’s hood before safely removing them from the flood.

Daniel Israel, head of investigations at the Shalem police station who was present, emphasized the urgency and risk involved, stating, "From the moment we arrived, we understood it was a life-threatening situation." The family included the father, mother, and their child, with the mother experiencing severe stress after the ordeal. The flooding event was unusual for August, with over 25 millimeters of rain recorded, a rare occurrence that has happened only three times previously. The incident highlighted concerns about infrastructure maintenance and emergency response in the area.