Health officials say Gaza teen electrocuted during rainfall

GAZA, Palestinian Territory – Gaza’s Health Ministry says a Palestinian teenager has been electrocuted after touching an electric pole outside his home during heavy rains.

Local emergency crews identified the boy Saturday as Mahmoud al-Belbisi, 16.

Palestinian authorities in the coastal enclave said they were prepared for a rare hurricane-like weather system that was expected to hit the eastern part of the Mediterranean on Saturday. The system lessened but still resulted in heavy rain.

Gaza, ruled by the militant Hamas group and blockaded by Israel and Egypt, has rundown infrastructure and residents are vulnerable to such mishaps.

Health officials said the teenager touched the electric pole in a puddle and died immediately. Photos showed people using ropes and wood sticks to drag the body away from the pole.