This brings the number of deaths to five in the last two days as three people — two Ethiopians and a Yemeni — are reported to have drowned as a result of flashfloods on Wednesday.

Al-Asimi said two other Somalis were injured during the flooding and were taken to hospital.

The spokesman said the four Somalis were in their 20s and 30s and were all illegally staying in the Kingdom.

The Civil Defense warned all citizens and foreigners to stay away from the valleys during rains and never to risk crossing them using their cars lest they are swept away by the floods.

Meanwhile, the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME) warned Thursday of fluctuating weather in the southern areas of the Kingdom.

It said more rains were expected to fall in the region causing valleys to flood.

The PME expected heavy rains and floods specifically in the areas of Rijal Alma, Al-Shabain and Wadi Hilli in the south.

The PME also issued warnings about possible downpours in Al-Baha and sandstorms in parts of Riyadh, Eastern Province, Najran, Jazan, Makkah and Madinah provinces.

On Wednesday, the Civil Defense Department in Sabiya said they had recovered the body of a Yemeni who had fallen in the flooded Shahran valley in Jazan.

Reports also showed the death of two Ethiopeans in Kahli valley, south of Dhahran Al-Janoub, which was inundated following continuous rains. There were also reports about power outages and deaths of livestock in the south as a result of rains.

Meanwhile, a minor earthquake reportedly 3.4 on the Richter scale hit Qunfuda on Wednesday. It was the same area where two minor quakes occurred during the past two days.

The Civil Defense said it received 1,100 calls after the first quake, which was 4.4 on the Richter scale.