Photos: Saudi storm sweep away cars, cuts road to Mecca

Departure of some flights delayed, videos show cars being swept away in flashfloods

Last updated: November 24, 2022 | 18:42

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Heavy rains in the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah on Thursday delayed flights, forced school suspensions and closed the road to Mecca, Islam’s holiest city, state media reported.

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Vidoes being shared on social media show vehicles being swept away in the flashfloods caused by the heavy downpour.

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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.

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Images posted to social media on Thursday showed standing water snarling traffic in Jeddah and partially submerging some vehicles.

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The city’s King Abdul Aziz International Airport said that “due to weather conditions, the departure of some flights has been delayed” and urged passengers to contact carriers for up-to-date schedules.

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The official Saudi Press Agency reported before dawn that schools in the city would be suspended as rains were forecast to continue throughout the day.

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Schools were also closed in the nearby towns of Rabigh and Khulais “to preserve the safety of male and female students”, SPA said.

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The kingdom is in the middle of final exams, yet schools had already been closed nationwide on Wednesday after King Salman declared a holiday following Saudi Arabia’s shock defeat of Argentina in the World Cup.

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Winter rainstorms and flooding occur almost every year in Jeddah, where residents have long decried poor infrastructure.

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Winter rainstorms and flooding occur almost every year in Jeddah.

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