Saudi- Heavy rain causes floods, more forecast

(MENAFN- Arab News) The Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME) has forecast more heavy rain this weekend as downpours on Thursday and Friday caused flooding, rockslides and road closures in certain areas



The Civil Defense closed down the Al-Karr to Taif road because torrential rain in the mountainous areas turned the main thoroughfare into a raging river

Col. Saeed Sarhan, press spokesman of the Civil Defense in Makkah, said the officials closed the road at 2 a.m. He said there was also rainfall over Rabigh, Al-Abwa, Al-Kamil, Al-Shar' and Al-Qao'r

The Civil Defense also closed down Al-Hada Road in the middle of the week because of rockslides caused by the rain. There was also flooding in parts of Makkah including Bani Yazid and some neighboring villages and governorates



The PME said Friday that it expects the downpours to continue over these areas with a significant chance of thunderstorms in Tabuk, including the coastal towns of Al-Wajh, Haql, Diba and Amlaj. It will spread to the western and northern parts of Riyadh province including Al-Dwadmi and parts of the capital, Al-Jouf and the Northern Border Province, Hail, Al-Qasim, Madinah and Yanbu



The PME also expect thunderstorms to hit Makkah, and the coastal cities of Jeddah, Al-Laith and Al-Qunfuda. Rain is expected to fall over the southwestern heights of Asir, Jazan and Al-Baha

The PME stated that surface winds on the Red Sea would vary from north to northwesterly in the northern part, and westerly to southwesterly in the southern half, at speeds of 15 to 42 km/hour. It expects waves of 1 to 1.5 meters in height. Wind over the Arabian Gulf would be south to southeasterly at speeds between 15 to 35 km/hour, it stated