Drivers in Kuwait, Bahrain urged to be extra cautious

Manama: Kuwait’s interior ministry has urged drivers to exercise the highest levels of caution amid fears of heavy rains lashing the northern Arabian Gulf country.

Drivers should keep a considerable distance between cars and not make sudden stops in order not to put their lives and those of others at risk, the ministry said in a statement.

Two hotlines have been set up to provide humanitarian, traffic, and security assistance and to help sea-goers in case of emergency.

Forecasts in Kuwait indicated there would “light to moderate rains that would become heavy in the coastal areas.”

Abdul Aziz Al Qarawi, an official at the Meteorological Department of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, told Kuwait News Agency there would be a low-pressure area and cumulus clouds. However, the weather would clear by late Sunday, he added.

Al Qarawi called on both citizens and expatriates to follow weather bulletins.

In Saudi Arabia, the Civil Defence stressed the need for caution as it warned of rains, mainly in the Eastern province.

It posted pictures and videos of operations to rescue people besieged by torrential rains.

On Friday, fajr (pre-dawn) prayers in the Grand Mosque in Makkah, the holiest site for Muslims, were wrapped up unusually quickly because of the heavy rains.

The call to prayers and the prayers started at 5:17 am and ended at 5:26 am in order to spare the thousands of worshippers in the open yard the impact of the rain in the Makkah area.

Usually the prayers are performed around 10 minutes after the call and last several minutes.

In Bahrain, most of the country was hit by heavy storms for about an hour in the morning before the skies cleared. In some areas, the heavy morning traffic moved at a snail’s pace, but no damages were reported.

The Met Directorate has forecast unsettled weather with scattered rain showers that could become thundery at times.