JERUSALEM (AP) — Flash floods killed nine Israeli teenagers who were hiking south of the Dead Sea on Thursday, Israel's rescue service said.

The casualties were all 18 years old. Israeli media said eight of the fatalities were female and one was male. Police said another hiker is still missing.

Earlier, spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said 25 students in a pre-army course were "caught off guard" and some were "washed away" by heavy rains while they were hiking in the area.

The horrific incident was seen as a national tragedy in Israel.

President Reuven Rivlin said on Twitter: "The state of Israel is mourning the loss of young promising lives in the heavy disaster." He said Israel "embraces" the grieving families and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

The downpour caused parts of Israel's security barrier with the West Bank to collapse, Rosenfeld also said.

Police and army helicopters were deployed to search for the missing member of the group. But search operations were suspended by nightfall until the morning due to harsh conditions, police said.

The Dead Sea, the world's lowest point at about 1,400 feet below sea level, is surrounded by desert and generally arid cliffs. Rain can come rushing down the steep descents, causing sudden and violent torrents in otherwise dry spots.

Heavy rainfall has fallen sporadically over the past two days.</s>The Latest: Israel says 9 teens died in flash floods

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Latest on the deadly flash floods in Israel (all times local):

Israel's rescue service says nine teenagers have died in flash floods while hiking south of the Dead Sea.

It says they were all 18 years old. Israeli media say that eight of the fatalities were female and one was male. Reports say another hiker is still missing.

Earlier, spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said 25 students in a pre-army course were "caught off guard" and some were "washed away" Thursday by heavy rains as they were hiking in the area.

The Dead Sea, the world's lowest point at about 1,400 feet below sea level, is surrounded by desert and generally arid cliffs. Rain can come rushing down the steep descents, causing sudden and violent torrents in otherwise dry spots.

Israeli police say several young people are missing and others have been injured after a group of hikers was caught in flash floods south of the Dead Sea.

Spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said on Thursday that 25 students in a pre-army course were "caught off guard" and some were "washed away" by heavy rains as they were hiking in the area.

Police and army helicopters are searching for the missing. Israeli media says nine of the injured are fighting for their lives.

The Dead Sea, the world's lowest point at about 1,400 feet below sea level, is surrounded by desert and generally arid cliffs. Rain can come rushing down the steep descents, causing sudden and violent torrents in otherwise dry spots.

Heavy rainfall has fallen sporadically over the past two days.</s>JERUSALEM (Reuters) - At least 10 youths were missing after they were swept away by a flash flood in the Negev Desert in southern Israel on Thursday, and seven others were in critical condition, police and emergency services said.

Military helicopters and security forces were searching the Zafit river bed that flows into the rift valley at the southern end of the Dead Sea after a flash flood caught a party of trekkers in the usually bone dry area by surprise.

Many in the party of 25 were swept away, a police spokeswoman said, and an official from Israel’s Magen David Adom ambulance service said at least seven who were located were in critical condition, while others were still unaccounted for.

Israel has had heavy rainfall in the past 24 hours. Normally arid river beds that run from west to east and collect large amounts of water deposit torrents into the Dead Sea and the rift valley region that runs south along the Negev Desert.</s>Israel's rescue service says 9 teenagers have died in flash floods while hiking south of the Dead Sea

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel's rescue service says 9 teenagers have died in flash floods while hiking south of the Dead Sea.</s>JERUSALEM, April 26 (Reuters) - At least nine teenage seminary students died after they were swept away by a flash flood in the Negev Desert in southern Israel on Thursday, an ambulance service said.

Military helicopters and search and rescue units scoured the Zafit river bed that flows into the rift valley at the southern end of the Dead Sea after a flash flood caught a party of 25 trekkers in the usually bone-dry area by surprise.

Another student was unaccounted for and the search was suspended as night fell and heavy thunderstorms returned to the region, police said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the event as a "terrible disaster" and praised rescuers for their efforts.

After two days of heavy rainfall, normally arid river beds that run from west to east have filled up and deposited surges of water into the Dead Sea and the rift valley region that runs south along the Negev Desert. (Writing by Ori Lewis; Editing by Kevin Liffey)</s>JERUSALEM, April 26 (Reuters) - At least 10 youths were missing after they were swept away by a flash flood in the Negev Desert in southern Israel on Thursday, and seven others were in critical condition, police and emergency services said.

Military helicopters and security forces were searching the Zafit river bed that flows into the rift valley at the southern end of the Dead Sea after a flash flood caught a party of trekkers in the usually bone dry area by surprise.

Many in the party of 25 were swept away, a police spokeswoman said, and an official from Israel's Magen David Adom ambulance service said at least seven who were located were in critical condition, while others were still unaccounted for.

Israel has had heavy rainfall in the past 24 hours. Normally arid river beds that run from west to east and collect large amounts of water deposit torrents into the Dead Sea and the rift valley region that runs south along the Negev Desert. (Writing by Ori Lewis, Editing by William Maclean)</s>JERUSALEM (AP) — Flash floods killed nine Israeli teenagers who were hiking south of the Dead Sea on Thursday, Israel’s rescue service said.

The casualties were all 18 years old. Israeli media said eight of the fatalities were female and one was male. Police said another hiker is still missing.

Earlier, spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said 25 students in a pre-army course were “caught off guard” and some were “washed away” by heavy rains while they were hiking in the area.

The horrific incident was seen as a national tragedy in Israel.

President Reuven Rivlin said on Twitter: “The state of Israel is mourning the loss of young promising lives in the heavy disaster.” He said Israel “embraces” the grieving families and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

The downpour caused parts of Israel’s security barrier with the West Bank to collapse, Rosenfeld also said.

Police and army helicopters were deployed to search for the missing member of the group. But search operations were suspended by nightfall until the morning due to harsh conditions, police said.

The Dead Sea, the world’s lowest point at about 1,400 feet below sea level, is surrounded by desert and generally arid cliffs. Rain can come rushing down the steep descents, causing sudden and violent torrents in otherwise dry spots.

Heavy rainfall has fallen sporadically over the past two days.</s>“The righteous man perishes, And no one considers; Pious men are taken away, And no one gives thought That because of evil The righteous was taken away.” Isaiah 57:1 (The Israel Bible™)

More than 20 students from a high-school pre-military academy were caught in a flash flood while hiking in Nahal Tzafit in the southern Dead Sea area. An MDA team on the scene reported that three students were declared dead at the scene. Seven youths were reported to be in critical condition and five others are reported missing. Two others were reported to be lightly injured. Thirteen members of the group were rescued unharmed. Police, civilian, and units from the elite 669 Search and Rescue unit of the Israeli Air Force are conducting searches. Soroka Hospital in Beersheba issued a statement saying that some injured were en route by helicopter to the hospital.

The country has been hit by unseasonal heavy rains for the last two days leading to flooding in some areas in the south.

On Wednesday, a 16-year-old Bedouin boy was swept away in a storm-swollen in the Mamshit Stream in the southern Negev and a 17-year-old Palestinian girl died hills east of Bethlehem while herding sheep after she was swept away by a flash flood.</s>JERUSALEM (AP) — Flash floods killed nine Israeli teenagers who were hiking south of the Dead Sea on Thursday, Israel's rescue service said.

The casualties were all 18 years old. Israeli media said eight of the fatalities were female and one was male. Police said another hiker is still missing.

Earlier, spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said 25 students in a pre-army course were "caught off guard" and some were "washed away" by heavy rains while they were hiking in the area.

The horrific incident was seen as a national tragedy in Israel.

President Reuven Rivlin said on Twitter: "The state of Israel is mourning the loss of young promising lives in the heavy disaster." He said Israel "embraces" the grieving families and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

The downpour caused parts of Israel's security barrier with the West Bank to collapse, Rosenfeld also said.

Police and army helicopters were deployed to search for the missing member of the group. But search operations were suspended by nightfall until the morning due to harsh conditions, police said.

The Dead Sea, the world's lowest point at about 1,400 feet below sea level, is surrounded by desert and generally arid cliffs. Rain can come rushing down the steep descents, causing sudden and violent torrents in otherwise dry spots.

Heavy rainfall has fallen sporadically over the past two days.</s>JERUSALEM (Reuters) - At least 10 youths were missing after they were swept away by a flash flood in the Negev Desert in southern Israel on Thursday, and seven others were in critical condition, police and emergency services said.

Military helicopters and security forces were searching the Zafit river bed that flows into the rift valley at the southern end of the Dead Sea after a flash flood caught a party of trekkers in the usually bone dry area by surprise.

Many in the party of 25 were swept away, a police spokeswoman said, and an official from Israel's Magen David Adom ambulance service said at least seven who were located were in critical condition, while others were still unaccounted for.

Israel has had heavy rainfall in the past 24 hours. Normally arid river beds that run from west to east and collect large amounts of water deposit torrents into the Dead Sea and the rift valley region that runs south along the Negev Desert.
Flash floods strike a class hiking trip in the Nahal Tzafit riverbed in the Dead Sea, Israel. Nine children are killed and another is reported missing.