Heavy rainfall lashing the Asir region for days this week has left large, deep pools of water in the Husam District of Khamis Mushayt, trapping some residents in their homes and leaving others fearing for their lives. Some pools of water, on land owned by a Saudi citizen, are reported to be more than five meters deep. Civil Defense teams began pumping out the water, with assistance from the municipality, and worked for more than six hours without completing the task, which frustrated residents who are still stuck in their homes. Muhammad Sa'eed Al-Rabee', a Saudi national who lives in the area, fears that Husam District will be struck by a flood disaster like the one that hit Jeddah last November. “The water is surrounding us from all sides and is posing a danger to our lives,” he said. “The floods have carried large quantities of sediment, rocks and stones to the district covering the asphalt in front of the marooned houses.” Al-Rabee' appealed to authorities to take swift action and find solutions that will end the residents' suffering. Ali Al-Ghamdi, another Saudi resident in the area, agreed with Al-Rabee', adding that for the past 25 years, he has asked Khamis Mushayt municipality to find a solution to the problem which occurs when heavy rains hit the region, but that his efforts have been in vain.
