Floods in the desert: Brutal flash floods hit Saudi Arabia

Heavy rainfall and devastating floods, wreaking havoc across Saudi Arabia since November 10 continued into December. The rains have so far left more than 30 people dead, disrupted traffic and forced evacuation of at least 4 000 people. Authorities are urging residents to take utmost precaution and to stay away from valleys and reefs during heavy rain or flash floods.

Further torrential rain was forecast for several regions of the Kingdom, including Tabuk, Madinah and its coastal areas, Al-Jouf, the Northern Border Region and Hail, the General Authority of Meteorology and Environmental Protection warned Friday, November 30, 2018. Thunderstorms were also expected in the Makkah area, including its coastal areas, as well as in the southwestern highlands.

Maj. Abdulaziz bin Farhan Al-Shammari, a civil defense spokesman in Tabuk, said they were working on clearing recent floodwaters in inundated areas, valleys and coastlines throughout the province.

Al-Shammari warned of the dangers of floods and rain, stressing the need for citizens and residents to cooperate and follow the warnings issued by the civil defense.

On the same day, brutal flash flooding hit Yabu al-Bahr, a major Red Sea port in the Al Madinah Province of western Saudi Arabia:

The same storm was responsible for triggering flooding rain in Bodrum, Turkey on November 29.

"The city is currently experiencing a historical disaster," Bodrum Mayor Mehmet Kocadon said at the time, adding that citizens were warned in advance of the heavy rain risk. "It was like a monsoon rain. There are a lot of floods, there is a great disaster around city center," he said.

The following video was recorded last month in northern Saudi Arabia:

Featured image: Flash flooding in Yabu, Madinah on November 30, 2018. Credit: Maycol Checchinato