Okaz/Saudi Gazette TABUK — Sorrow over the tragic death of a father and four of his sons filled the atmosphere in Tabuk. The man and his four children drowned when flash floods hit Al-Bakkar valley following heavy rain in the area over the past two days. The neighborhood where the family lived was crowded with mourners who came to attend the funeral and offer condolences. The man's wife and three of their children survived the tragedy. Okaz/Saudi Gazette attempted to talk to the eldest son in the family, but he could not talk because of the trauma over the loss of his father and siblings. Eyewitnesses told Okaz/Saudi Gazette about the heroic act of a Saudi man, Majed Al-Temawi, who saw the drowning family and succeeded in rescuing the mother and two children. The Civil Defense later rescued a third child. Al-Temawi told Okaz/Saudi Gazette, "I saw the victim's car floating in the fast moving water. The car came close to the bridge across the valley and I managed to rescue one boy, one girl and their mother." Al-Temawi was out on a family picnic on Al-Bedeiah Road. When the rain got heavy, he decided to return home but he was not able to cross the valley because it was flooded. Al-Temawi said, "As I was waiting, I saw one car crossing the valley. This gave me the courage to make the attempt myself and cross. I managed to cross and the victim was driving behind me. I made it to the other side but I saw the car behind me swept away by the fast moving current. I decided to take my family to safety first and then walked all the way down the valley. I saw the daughter and son swept away near the bridge area and I managed to drag them to safety. Another car that was passing nearby came my direction and I took the two children in. I went back again to the location of the car and found a woman and a man trapped inside. I pulled them out. The man was dead while the woman was still alive. I did not know there were nine family members in the car." The emir of Tabuk offered condolences to the family of the victims. A representative of the emir visited the family to personally offer the condolences.
