JEDDAH: Over 500 homes and factories were leveled 10 days ago when floodwaters hit Wadi Qous, which is now known locally as the Valley of Death.

The once vibrant neighborhood, located to the east of the Jeddah-Makkah (Haramain) Expressway, is now a scene of destruction with rescue workers still recovering bodies from rubble.

The tragedy that hit the area is still fresh in the minds of local people who have lost relatives and friends.

“The neighborhood was leveled after floodwaters hit the area,” local resident Ali Ismaeel was quoted as saying by the Arabic-language newspaper Al-Madinah. “Wadi Qous was mainly inhabited by Saudi nationals who lived without problems among Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Filipinos working in the nearby factories. Now there is nothing,” he added.

Muhammad Al-Zahrani, another resident of Wadi Qous, said people were initially pleased that it was raining.

“We were happy and started drinking tea sitting outdoors. The children were playing in the rain,” he said.

“All of a sudden we heard the horrific sound of water coming toward us. We felt the ground shaking and had no idea what was actually happening. I’ve seen heaps of bodies being swept past us in the waters which flowed down from beyond the mountains,” he said.

“My wife and children were swept away in front of my eyes and I could do nothing. I’ve seen factories and warehouses worth hundreds of thousands of riyals destroyed in a matter of minutes,” he added.

Saif Al-Otaibi said only a few people have remained in the area following the floods.

“Around five years ago, we asked the municipality to build a dam to protect the area from floodwaters, but nothing was done. In my opinion, the municipality is mainly responsible for what has happened. This is a valley, why have they allowed people to build homes and live here in the first place?” he said.

Saad Al-Otaibi lost seven members of his family. “I lost my brother, my sister-in-law and five of their children,” said Al-Otaibi.

Musa Obaid, a factory worker in Wadi Qous, said Wednesday was a working day and that he and his friends came outside to enjoy the rainy weather.

“While we were out, the floods arrived within seconds carrying mud. I saw my co-workers being swept away in the streets,” he said.

Faisal Al-Arfaj, a survivor, said when he saw the floods coming, he did not think of anything but saving himself and so he climbed a high voltage electricity tower ignoring the potential danger he was putting himself in.

The tower was also swept away by the water and so he held on to a car until he was rescued by a group of people who saw him.