Northern Saudi Arabia is experiencing floods and heavy rain, leading to road closures and school cancellations.
Travel warnings have been issued by meteorological authorities. Videos on social media, including those from outlets like Sky News, depict flash floods in Al-Ula and Al-Madinah. These areas are significant as they include Al-Masjid Al-Nabawi, Islam’s second holiest site and the burial place of Prophet Muhammad.
This comes days after flash floods hit neighbouring UAE and Oman to the southeast, rare events this time of the year blamed partly on climate change.
In November 2022, Saudi Arabia was hit by coastal flooding as a result of heavy rain, hitting hard the city of Jeddah in which two people were killed.
Authorities are currently evaluating the situation in affected areas, according to Saudi media reports.
The Civil Defense Directorate advises caution, urging residents to avoid valleys and waterways. They also caution against crossing or entering these areas and emphasize the need for drivers to be extra careful on rural roads. This follows recent flash floods in neighboring UAE and Oman to the southeast,
The Saudi National Center for Meteorology (NCM) issued a red alert for Al-Madinah earlier on Monday, forecasting heavy rain and thunderstorms. The alert specifically covered Al-Ula from midday until 11 pm. The NCM predicts heavy rainfall during this period, accompanied by strong winds, reduced visibility.
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