JEDDAH: Schools were closed, highways shut and dozens of people rescued from flood waters on Monday after heavy rain swept large areas of Saudi Arabia.
The north west of the Kingdom was severely effected. The Civil Defense said it rescued 65 people in Tabuk and Al-Jouf and 37 people west of Duba while Schools in Tabuk, Arar and Al-Jouf were closed on Monday.
In Madinah, sections of one of the main ring roads were underwater with cars trapped in the water and mororists battling to make it through the floods.
The heavy rain and dust storms started on Sunday and continued on Monday
The Civil Defense warned people to exercise restrain while driving and take maximum precautions in low visibility.
“Riyadh, Makkah, Northern Border Region, Hail, Tabuk, Qassim, Madinah, Eastern Province, Asir, Jazan and Al-Jouf are experiencing unstable weather,” Civil Defense spokesman Major Mohammed Al-Hammadi told Arab News.
“The General Directorate of Civil Defense calls on citizens and residents not to risk themselves and their families and avoid going to the valleys or dangerous areas.”
The bad weather and strong winds filled the sky with heavy dust on Sunday and Monday in the north and west of the Kingdom. It was accompanied by heavy and moderate rainfall.
The General Authority for Meteorology and Environmental Protection forecast the weather to continue until Tuesday. Thunderstorms are expected along with
High winds and cool temperatures. Dust has also been forecast in Riyadh and Eastern Province.
