-Heavy rains hit western Saudi Arabia,
close Schools, cut roads to Makkah
JEDDAH: The National Center of Meteorology recorded 179 mm of rainfall on Thursday, the highest amount ever received in the city.
Rain fell from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the south of the province in a heavier downpour than the previous biggest, in 2009.
The Makkah region includes Jeddah, the kingdom’s second-largest city of roughly four million people, and Makkah city, the holiest city in Islam where millions perform the hajj and umrah pilgrimages each year.
The road connecting the two, which many pilgrims use to reach Makkah, was closed once the rains began, state media reported, although it was later reopened, authorities said.
The Jeddah Municipality announced a maximum alert in the wake of the weather conditions, while the meteorology center warned of moderate to heavy rain in the governorates of Jeddah and Rabigh in the Makkah region, including Thuwal and coastal areas, accompanied by surface winds, hail and flooding, until 7 p.m. on Thursday.
King Abdulaziz Airport announced that some flights had been delayed due to the weather. The airport was hoping to communicate with air carriers to confirm dates and times for rearranged flights. Makkah Municipality employs 11,800 field workers to prepare for the rainy season. –Agenceis
