Naif Ali and Abdulrahman Al-Ali Saudi Gazette MADINAH/JEDDAH — Moderate to heavy rains lashed Khaibar Governorate on Saturday morning, as security aircraft rescued two people reported missing in Hail. While inclement weather continued to affect the cities around the Kingdom, the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME) issued advanced alert and alert warnings of continued blustery and wet weather in different parts of the Kingdom. The PME warned that in some areas the high winds could be wither accompanied by dust storms or an overcast sky that would have thunder and lightning. Advanced alerts have been issued for Hail, Dalmah and Najran (windy and dusty or rain), while Riyadh, Eastern Province, Asir, Al-Baha, Jazan areas, Qassim, Tabuk, Al-Ula, Taif and Hafr Al-Baten will see some stormy conditions. The eastern parts of Madinah too could, according to the PME forecast, witness some gusty conditions. Meanwhile, rains continued to set awash areas of the governorate of Al-Thamad, Al-Ashash, Al-Husn and Khaibar. Heavy rain also struck Al-Ula governorate at noon the same day. The rain lashed Al-Ula and the northern villages. There was moderate flooding in Saq, Marakh, Sudair, Umm Jathouh, Al-Khurmah and Masadir valleys on Al Ula-Madinah Road. In the evening of the same day, moderate rain struck Al-Hinakiyah governorate and the villages of Arja, Sabha, Al-Hasuw, Al-Samhan and Al-Humaij. The Civil Defense received 400 reports from stranded citizens requesting help due to short circuits or water inundating their homes. Civil Defense evacuated 862 people due to rains and floods Kingdomwide. It said 40 citizens and expatriates were rescued in Madinah and 11 stranded vehicles were towed away. There were five reports of short circuits, but no casualties were reported. The Civil Defense in Riyadh received over 3742 reports until Sunday afternoon. They towed some cars that was submerged by flooding waters. Fifty citizens marooned in the floods Kingdomwide were rescued, 14 stranded vehicles were freed, and five incidents of short circuits were dealt with without any injuries. Rescue teams and safety patrols were deployed at these locations. Field teams were supported with officers, privates and machinery in line with a Civil Defense support plan. Maj. Gen. Zuhair Ahmad Hashim Sibieh, Director of Civil Defense in Madinah province, followed up the operations and issued directives to the directors of administrations to implement the emergency plans and coordinate with the authorities concerned, said Col. Khaled Mubarak Al-Jihani, spokesman for Madinah Civil Defense. In a related development, heavy rains struck Al-Khurmah governorate on Sunday and governorates of Asir province on Saturday night. There was rainfall over the last 24 hours on Hail region, Al-Dawadmi, Riyadh, Al-Qassim, Taif and Al-Ahsa. There was moderate rain over Tabuk province and Turabah on Saturday night. Meanwhile, security aircraft have saved two people who were reported missing following heavy rain that lashed several cities including Hail and Bisha. According to Maj. Gen. Muhammad Al-Harbi, commander of the security aircraft department, the two people were trapped in remote places and lost communication with their relatives. A person also went missing in the Al-Khurmah Desert near Riyadh and was saved by security aircraft. Al-Harbi added that two security aircraft were sent to the Bisha Governorate to search the valleys for any missing people. Maj. Gen. Bandar Al-Theqailan, spokesman for the security aircraft department, said land rescue teams also saved a person who got trapped in a valley in Hail. He noted that the security aircraft in Taif could not continue its search mission due to a strong thunderstorm and dense clouds and had to return to the airbase. “It's absolutely dangerous to fly in such weather and that is why we asked the pilots to come back to the airbase 30 minutes after they took off.”
