On Twitter, several users on Sunday tweeted and retweeted weather forecasts from local areas around Saudi Arabia.

In Onaizah, Twitter users warned others of expected severe weather and possible heavy rains occurring in the region.

In Riyadh, Twitter users tweeted their weather forecasts for the city, also cautioning of possible flooding.

In Jeddah, youths and volunteers geared up for potential floods by registering potential volunteers’ names and numbers. This was to ensure a volunteer presence if a disaster hit the city, similar to what happened in 2009 and 2011.

On Facebook, more than 30 Saudi volunteering groups set up pages in English as well as Arabic, with some of them attracting several thousand members. On Facebook, users posted useful information such as emergency numbers for the Civil Defense and the Saudi Red Crescent. Other posts suggested potential warehouse locations to store food and blankets.

Some posts suggested improvised safety measures and asked members to voluntarily identify areas and neighborhoods that might be hit hardest by flooding.

“This is a good move, but when the next storm and floods hits the city, we all will be ready to volunteer in helping people who might be affected by the flooding. Joining these Facebook groups and pages is one way to try and prevent some of the great damage and humanitarian tragedies Jeddah faced during the past two years,” said one Facebook poster.

Another commented: “Being active on these pages and groups is one way to point out the many issues that are still current and need to be looked at in order to solve them. This is in order to prevent them from growing into much bigger problems when a flash flood occurs in Jeddah.”

Several Saudis and residents told Arab News how social networking allowed for a greater level of communication and coordination between those who are willing to aid and focus their effort in an organized and effective manner.