Cairo: Education authorities in several parts of Saudi Arabia have suspended in-person classes Tuesday due to rainy weather and ordered schooling shifted to online learning.
The suspension was announced for classes in the Eastern Province, Al Qasim and Unaizah in central Saudi Arabia and Hafr Al Batin in the north east.
A similar measure was taken for schools in some governorates in the Riyadh region including Wadi Al Dawasir, Afif, Dawadmi, Al Aflaj, Al Zulfi, Shaqra, Al Ghat and Al Majma’ah.
The decisions were based on reports issued by the Saudi National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) that rainfall is forecast in these areas and to protect safety of students and staff at education institutions.
Cities in the Eastern Province on Monday were lashed by medium-to-torrential rains while NCM expected rainy weather to continue in the region, accompanied by strong winds, low-vision visibility, hail showers, thunderbolts and flooding. A rainy low pressure that hit Oman earlier this week, causing deadly floods, could extend to the region. Local authorities closed a vital tunnel on the King Fahd Road in the eastern city of Dammam as a precautionary measure.
NCM also projected likely medium-to-torrential rains, accompanied by dust-laden winds, hail showers in parts of Al Qasim, Riyadh, the eastern parts of the Northern Borders, and Ha’il in north-western Saudi Arabia.
In response, the Saudi traffic authorities warned motorists of the risk of car skidding during rainfall.
In recent months, several areas in Saudi Arabia have been lashed by heavy rains, prompting suspension of classes and a shift to online education.
