Floods, Eilat earthquake should push Israel’s next government to fix risks it knows - editorial

Detailed summary

Years after the state comptroller flagged weak drainage and unreinforced buildings near the fault line, much of the work remains undone.

The weekend's flooding and Wednesday's earthquake near Eilat should give the incoming government something concrete to discuss while it divides up ministries: whether the infrastructure Israelis depend on can withstand the emergencies the state already knows how to prepare for.In Kadima, the Israel Meteorological Service measured 117 mm. of rain in about 80 to 85 minutes. Days later, earthquake alerts sounded around Eilat, and flights at Ramon Airport were temporarily suspended for safety checks.These were different events, requiring different responses. Neither, on its own, establishes that officials failed.

Opening of the article, excerpted from The Jerusalem Post. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.