Strong flash floods batter Saudi Arabia
Heavy rainfall battered western, northern and central Saudi Arabia on November 17, 2015, causing strong flash floods across the affected areas. So far, 8 people died and one person, presumably a child, remains missing.
A spell of unusually severe rainstorms and strong winds hit Saudi Arabia on November 17. Jeddah has been hit the hardest, as up to 1 m (3.3 feet) of flood water has been reported to overflow some areas. At least 8 people have died so far, 2 of which have been electrocuted as power cables fell into flood water. Some media reported 12 victims, as of November 18. One person was reported missing in Hail province.
Video credit: GHIA COM TV
At least 16 people got stranded by flash floods in Makkah, according to Saudi Arabia's Civil Defence, while Medina, Hail and Arar were affected by severe weather conditions, as well.
72-hr rainfall accumulation as observed by GPM Core Observatory. Image credit: Google/NASA/JAXA GPM
According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) 22 mm (0.9 inches) of rainfall fell in Jeddah in only 15 minutes, since 10:00 am (local time), on November 17. 59 mm (2.3 inches) was reported to fall in Tabuk in a 24 hour period between November 16 and 17. Al Wajh recorded 36 mm (1.4 inches) of rainfall.
12 die in Saudi Arabia due to thunderstorms, flooding https://t.co/UQCwiixDH8 pic.twitter.com/rbQnCxoIH2
— Khaleej Times (@khaleejtimes) November 18, 2015
Local officials have advised people to stay indoors.Traffic has been disrupted across the affected areas and several domestic flights from King Abdul Aziz's Airport have been canceled. Numerous trees have been uprooted and power outages have been reported in several places in Jeddah. Rescue teams received 3 000 emergency calls so far, according to Civil Defence statement.
Flooding in #SaudiArabia pic.twitter.com/yF3sUan0Lk
— أنور (@dhalei_) November 17, 2015
Severe weather is expected to continue into the weekend, according to local meteorologists. Heavy rainfalls which are spreading over Iraq and Saudi Arabia are forecast to move into western Iran, as of November 18.
Featured image: Strong flash flood in Saudi Arabia, November 18, 2015. Image credit: GHIA COM TV
If you value what we do here, create your ad-free account and support our journalism.
Your support makes a difference
Dear valued reader,
We hope that our website has been a valuable resource for you.
The reality is that it takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to maintain and grow this website. We rely on the support of readers like you to keep providing high-quality content.
If you have found our website to be helpful, please consider making a contribution to help us continue to bring you the information you need. Your support means the world to us and helps us to keep doing what we love.
Support us by choosing your support level – Silver, Gold or Platinum. Other support options include Patreon pledges and sending us a one-off payment using PayPal.
Thank you for your consideration. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Teo Blašković
Commenting rules and guidelines
We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:
We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.