More rainfall forecast ABHA/BAHA/ABU ARISH – Rescue and mop-up operations are in full swing in Asir, Jizan and Baha in the wake of torrential rains which have caused numerous deaths and damage to property and infrastructure. Civil Defense rescue teams in Abha in Asir, supported by 2,000 citizens, are looking for a woman who was swept away by the floods at Sobah Balahmar. She was apparently trying to cross the Green Valley “Alwadi Al-Akhdr” along with her husband and son, who were both found dead in the valley. Eyewitnesses said Muhammad Bin Saeed Al-Ahmari, his wife Muneera and their son Massad left their house to attend a dinner party in the village when floodwater hit their vehicle. They said some people at the scene advised the son, who was driving, to rescue himself and leave his parents, but he refused to do so. In reference to the incident, Major Muhammad Al-Assmi, spokesman for the Civil Defense in Asir, said they had received a report at 8: 45 P.M. on Monday about a car being swept away by the floods at Green Valley in Balahmar. He said the Civil Defense had responded by sending a rescue team to the scene. Divers later found a man aged 65 and a man in his twenties dead inside the car. He said the two corpses were sent to the morgue. A rescue team of 39 officers and non-commissioned officers were searching for the woman. He said the team had combed the valley without any success so far. In Baha, the General Administration of the Civil Defense has submitted a statistical report to the Emir's Office indicating all operations that were carried out over the past few days. Brigadier Ibrahim Al-Zahrani, Director General of the Civil Defense in Baha, said they had received more than 2,000 reports during the days the heavy rains fell. He said 228 millimeters of rain had fallen – the heaviest in several years. He said they had mobilized more than 900 officers and non-commissioned officers and 50 rescue teams equipped with all the necessary machinery and equipment. In his report he stated that 11 people were killed, 212 heads of sheep were found dead, 209 people rescued and 42 vehicles were completely destroyed by the floods. In Jizan, the Civil Defense said in a statement on Tuesday that the rains which lashed the region on Monday evening did not cause any loss of lives. It said floodwater trapped two trucks belonging to the Frontier Guards, but they were later freed. Lt. Meslah Al-Ghamdi, acting spokesman for the Civil Defense in Jizan, has urged the public to take all necessary precautions during such heavy rainfall and to keep away from valleys. He said the Civil Defense is on full alert to deal with any emergency because it had received a report from the Meteorology and Environmental Protection department in the region indicating the possibility of more heavy rain. A weather forecast report showed that rain may continue to fall in some regions until Friday. Rain is also expected in some part of the Western Region, Riyadh, the northern part of the Kingdom and north of Jouf, Hail and Tabuk. Campers have been advised to stay indoors.
