Devastating Floods Hit Jeddah and Its Surrounding Suburbs
Jeddah, MINA – Devastating floods hit Jeddah and its surrounding suburbs on Thursday due to heavy rain for almost six hours starting at 8 am.
Two people were reported dead, while several other people trapped in submerged vehicles were rescued. The Saudi Gazette reported on it.
According to the National Meteorological Center (NCM), 179 mm of rain was recorded over Jeddah in the six hours from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. This was the heaviest rain since torrential rains caused flooding in November 2009.
Reports say the entire Jeddah governorate has been affected.
The mayor of Jeddah is working hard to restore normal life in the city.
Flight and road traffic was disrupted for several hours as major arteries and highways were flooded.
Flights at King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) were also temporarily delayed. Meanwhile, the Haramain Toll Road and several other main roads were closed for several hours.
Traffic resumed on the Makkah-Jeddah Highway in both directions after hours of disruption.
The Mayor and NCM announced a state of alert and advised residents not to leave their homes during rainy weather.
Several streets in Jeddah’s residential neighborhoods were flooded, causing many vehicles to break down.
Civil Defense spokesman Colonel Muhammad Al-Qarni confirmed two deaths due to heavy rains in Jeddah.
He said an emergency room with the involvement of a number of agencies had been set up to ensure quick intervention in emergency cases.
Many cars were submerged on the east Jeddah road, which was completely closed due to the rain.
According to the NCM, the city saw 60 millimeters of rain within two hours of the morning.
Most of the residents were forced to stay indoors as they saw the water level continue to rise outside their homes while large sections of the road remained under water.
Residents uploaded pictures and videos of the incident to Twitter and Instagram with views of vehicles being washed away by the water.
Schools and universities in the Jeddah Governorate were also closed. (T/RE1)
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
