Watch: Rockslide in Asir region as heavy rains transform Saudi Arabian landscapes
Record rainfall in Jazan reaches decade highs amid the kingdom’s unusual summer weather
Dubai: Saudi Arabia is undergoing an extraordinary weather phenomenon this summer, as several regions are drenched in moderate to heavy rains accompanied by hail showers and active winds.
These weather conditions have transformed the landscape into picturesque scenes filled with mist and vibrant greenery, encouraging residents and tourists to venture outdoors.
This exceptional weather reached a climax on Friday in Jazan, where the city recorded an unprecedented 184mm of rainfall in a single day, the highest in a decade. This surpassed the previous record of 182mm set in Jeddah in 2022.
The impact of the downpour was significant enough to shift in-person classes to remote learning platforms and adjust school schedules in the affected regions.
The Jazan Municipality has mobilised an extensive emergency response involving 981 personnel and a variety of equipment to manage the ongoing situation.
These teams are working non-stop to monitor and mitigate water accumulation issues.
The National Meteorological Centre said the significance of the rainfall indicates changing climatic conditions within the kingdom and globally.
Amidst rains, a dramatic rockslide caused by the heavy downpour blocked a crucial road in the Asir region.
A video circulated on social media shows the extent of the rock collapse in Wadi Aslan, disrupting traffic and necessitating immediate action by teams to clear the debris and restore normal traffic flow.
These weather events, coinciding with the appearance of the “Suhail Star,” signal a shift in the season, marking the end of the peak summer period in the Arabian Peninsula and ushering in cooler nights and shorter days.