Over 40 killed in Saudi Arabia, Yemen floods

Over 40 people have been killed after heavy rains caused severe flooding in Saudi Arabia and Yemen this week. 

According to the General Directorate of Saudi Civil Defence, rains and flooding claimed lives of 18 people throughout Saudi Arabia and more than 900 had to be rescued inside their vehicles.

The directorate added that floodwaters inundated roadways in Riyadh, Mecca and the mountainous south. Deaths were reported across the country, from Riyadh to Hail, Makkah, Madina, Al Baha, Asir, Najran and Jazan.

#eustorm 4/30 – NOW!!! in Abha, Saudi Arabia – this is just in LIVE! @severeweatherEU @SevereWeather_N pic.twitter.com/zYzaPNbUmA

— #eustorm (@EUStormMap) April 14, 2016

A tornado was reported in the country's southwest.

tornado Video from alshaqeq area in the southwest of #SaudiArabia
from : @lamoa541 pic.twitter.com/BIWa0chbjT

— Saudi Arabia Weather (@kingdomWeather) April 14, 2016

Red alert weather warning in south Saudi: this video shows Abha in Asir province experiencing severe flooding today. pic.twitter.com/Mv9Ccdd15z

— Rori Donaghy (@roridonaghy) April 14, 2016

Widespread flooding in Yemen killed at least 24 people, as of late Thursday, April 14, and caused the collapse of small dams, including two north of the capital, Sanaa. 16 were killed over the past 24 hours, mostly in Omran and Haja provinces.

#eustorm 4/30 – https://t.co/MUXBiqDubz – Desperate rescue efforts in Sanaa, Yemen a short while ago!!! pic.twitter.com/6e3MfffXTV

— #eustorm (@EUStormMap) April 14, 2016

Damage to property in Yemen was particularly heavy, with rushing muddy water cutting off roads and sweeping away cars and cattle, Gulf News reported. Besides Hajjah and Omran, unusually heavy rainfall has also hit Sanaa and the southern port of Aden.

Image credit: NASA/JAXA/Google GPM

As flooding hit central and southwest Saudi Arabia, heavy dust storm was sweeping across the country's northeast:

#Today
#dust storm in #Hafar_AlBatin Northeast #Saudi Arabia
from @Eissaa0 pic.twitter.com/xdYpjyQqUN

— Saudi Arabia Weather (@kingdomWeather) April 14, 2016

Meanwhile, twin tornadoes were reported today in Iraq's Maysan province.

#eustorm 27/30 – !!!Twin Tornadoes captured in this UNBELIEVABLE Image taken in Maysan, Iraq today!!! Oh My! Mahdi pic.twitter.com/VrGs9Axt9E

— #eustorm (@EUStormMap) April 14, 2016

The following video shows another tornado in Iraq's Maysan province:

#Today tornado in
Maysan province
#Iraq pic.twitter.com/7WijkpDhTO

— Saudi Arabia Weather (@kingdomWeather) April 14, 2016

#eustorm 27/30 – Ahmed Gamal reports this #Tornado in Mesan, Iraq today! WOW! Via: @severeweatherEU pic.twitter.com/GqoghqWY7j

— #eustorm (@EUStormMap) April 14, 2016

Featured image: Flood in Yemen on April 14, 2016