In spite of the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME) issuing a warning on Tuesday — which was published in several newspapers — that there would be heavy rains on Wednesday, students were not told that their exams had been postponed. Along with students, many staff members also turned up at the university and became marooned unable to return home because of flooded roads.

“They’ve still not learned from the previous occasions when it rained in Jeddah,” said Ismaeel M., a student at KAU. At the time when this report was filed on Wednesday evening, Ismaeel was still stuck at the university’s campus because of the Civil Defense’s instructions telling people to remain put until roads clear.

“I sometimes wish there was more coordination between the PME and government departments. People should not be forced to go to work or university in weather conditions such as this,” he said.

“They knew it was going to rain, so why did the university open to students? The campus is on a low-lying land and suffered major floods in 2009. It’s happened all over again,” he added.

A Saudi female employee at the university, who asked for her name not to be published, said she telephoned her supervisor on Wednesday morning to ask if the office was open. “The supervisor told me that the university was operating as normal. I then told her that there are warnings of rain at which she said she had not received any instructions from the management that workers do not need to come to work,” she said.

“It is now 7 p.m. and I’m stuck here at KAU because the Civil Defense has warned people not to venture out. I am extremely angry at the lack of coordination and disregard for our lives,” she said.

“The university should close when it rains like this. My kids are at home and crying for me, and my family are worried about me,” she added.

Shadi N., a Lebanese worker, was also forced to show up to work at a private company. His boss told him that although rain is expected, it will be light, similar to how it rained on Tuesday.

“He told me not to worry,” he said in a telephone call to Arab News. “I then sat in my office watching the water level rise until my entire car was almost totally submerged under water. The company won’t compensate me for this. What am I supposed to do?” he added.

Jaafar Muhammad took a risk and did not show up to work when he saw dark clouds to the east of the city on Wednesday morning. “I called my boss and he told me to go in. I, however, told him I wouldn’t because my office is located in south Jeddah in land that is low-lying,” he said.

“I’m glad I didn’t go in because he’s still at work unable to leave and I’m at home chilling,” he said, adding that there is a need for a proper system to alert members of the public when it is about to rain.

Abu Muhammad said he noticed the clouds after Fajr and decided not to take his daughter to school, which is located in the Aziziyah district of Jeddah. “It’s a bit of a trek for me every morning to drive from Rawdah district to Aziziyah. I saw the clouds this morning and decided not to go. The school needs to revise its system. It always seems to fail to tell us that it will remain shut because of rain. I have to rely on my instincts and so far I’ve been right. I might not be next time,” he said.

“They need to text parents and let us know that the school will remain close and not to send or bring our children. Anyway, all’s well that end’s well. We’re at home, safe and dry. That’s what matters the most — I feel sorry for those people in the south and east. Allah help them,” he added.