Saudi Capital Plagued by “Biblical” Floods

Saudis Swamped by Severe Flooding

Catastrophic flooding has hit Saudi Arabia, especially Riyadh, the country’s capital, inundating homes, streets and businesses, forcing the government to close schools and urge people to stay indoors, as torrential rains continue.

Image credit: Jeee@Jana_oOo.

Forecasters have predicted torrential rains will continue to pummel Saudi Arabia through Monday, and the Saudi Civil Defense has warned people to stay indoors for their own safety, according to local media.

Floods in the port city of Jeddah on the Red Sea has killed about 150  people since 2009.

Jeddah Under Water November 2009. Source: SahilOnlie. Image may be subject to copyright. As Muslim pilgrims were casting stones at three concrete walls representing the devil on the third day of the annual hajj, torrential rains inundated  the port city of Jeddah, where 80 mm of rain fell in just a few hours, killing up to 130 people, forcing the closure of the main highway to Mecca, and stranding thousands of pilgrims on their way to the Muslims’ holy city. [The pilgrims efforts might have been more meaningful had they cast their stones at a mock-up of an oil rig, a giant oil drum or effigy of an supertanker.]

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