JEDDAH: At least two people were reported dead after heavy rains in the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah delayed flights, forced school suspensions and closed the road to Mecca. Civil Defense spokesman Col. Muhammad Al-Qarni confirmed two deaths due to the heavy rain in Jeddah. He said an emergency room with the involvement of a number of agencies has been set up to ensure speedy intervention in emergency cases.
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According to reports gathered from multiple sources, torrential rain hit Jeddah for nearly six hours from 8 a.m. bringing life in the city to a standstill. Two people died while several people trapped inside submerged vehicles were rescued.
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Schools and universities were closed in Jeddah, Rabigh and Khulais governorates following the announcement of the Jeddah Education Directorate Wednesday evening in anticipation of the stormy weather.
The National Center of Meteorology (NCM) said 179mm of rain was recorded in Jeddah in the six hours from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, which exceeded the amount of rain recorded during the November 2009 flooding, affecting the entire governorate.
Social media users posted videos showing vehicles being swept away in the flashfloods caused by the heavy downpour.
السيول في شوارع #جدة_الأن pic.twitter.com/4UWQz4QUYJ
— مهدي السليمي (@mahdi_Alselimi) November 24, 2022
Flights were delayed at King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) while the Haramain Expressway and some other major roads were closed for several hours. However, traffic resumed on the Makkah-Jeddah Expressway in both directions after disruption for many hours.
The mayoralty and the NCM announced a state of alert and urged residents not to venture out in rainy weather.
Jeddah, a city of roughly four million people positioned on the Red Sea, is often referred to as the “gateway to Mecca”, where millions perform the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages each year.
