Jordan flash floods

This item appears on page 18 of the December 2018 issue.

A flash flood near the Dead Sea in Jordan on Oct. 25 killed at least 21 people, most of whom were passengers on a school bus that was caught by the floodwaters and washed off the road. More than 30 stranded and injured people were rescued from the area. The flood surge was estimated to have traveled more than 3 miles.

Usually very arid, the dry canyons at the Dead Sea are susceptible to flash floods during the rainy season, October to March.