Heavy rains and hailstones battering Abha in the Asir region Monday caused the shutdown of Abha Regional Airport for at least six hours due to low visibility early morning Monday, authorities said. At least nine flights were delayed due to bad weather conditions, said Saeed Al-Furaih, regional director of Saudi Arabian Airlines in Asir. The heavy rains which also hit Jizan Monday for straight five hours starting in the early morning hours caused traffic jams and rockslides and inundated several houses. Normal life came a halt as heavy rains forced the closure of schools and city streets wore a deserted, yet rainy, look. The book warehouses of the Ministry of Education at Jizan were damaged. Heavy rains also lashed Sabya and Bisha in the Jizan region. Many roads were totally cut-off forcing authorities to close the schools in the area. A mixture of rain and hail hit the areas of Tanoumah and Balasmar, northwest of Abha, causing rockslides which cut off the road network in the two area. This was also associated with a significant drop in temperatures. Many people preferred to remain indoors to avoid biting cold and chilly winds. No deaths have been reported.
