JEDDAH, 1 January — Rain prayers were answered yesterday when torrential showers fell in different parts of Saudi Arabia, dramatically lowering the average temperatures.
Rain-seeking prayers were held throughout the Kingdom last week, and imams all over the country held special prayers on Friday.
The rain was exceptionally heavy in Makkah, Madinah, Taif, Jeddah, Yanbu, Hail and Tabuk. In many of these places, valleys and low-lying areas were flooded.
The day’s rain, which at times was dramatically heavy, broke a long spell of drought that the Meteorological and Environmental Protection Administration (MEPA) said had extended for years in some areas. The drought could have had an adverse effect on agriculture and other economic activities, it was feared. "It’s usual for these areas to get rain during this time of the year," a MEPA official said.
In Jeddah, where it rained from 30 minutes to an hour — from light drizzle to heavy downpours — there was the predictable spectacle of cars negotiating flooded streets. Tow trucks were busy removing broken-down vehicles.
Palestine Street in Jeddah was one of the worst roads affected, and a large number of vehicles broke down there. Downtown, Prince Fouad Complex at Kilo 14 and Makkah Road were also partially flooded.
The ‘coaster’ minibuses were not as frequent as usual as many of them broke down in different parts of the city. Taxi operators were charging three times the normal fare, even for short distances.
Although it was cloudy at times in the morning, the sudden downpour accompanied by thunder came as a surprise to most residents.
Children however seemed overjoyed to be wading through the makeshift swimming pools. Many were seen racing on their bicycles through flooded roads, and even engaging in acrobatics.
