DAMMAM, 3 January — Heavy rains and thunderstorms have hit the Eastern Province, breaking a long spell of drought and bringing down the temperature. The Meteorological and Environment Protection Agency (MEPA) recorded 26 mm of rain in just a few hours in the Dammam area early yesterday and predicted more rain during the next 48 hours.
It was as though a cloud burst in Dammam around 3.30 a.m. Strong winds uprooted many trees near the highway. It was difficult for motorists to drive in the downpour and many were seen taking shelter beneath flyovers. However, since there is hardly any traffic on the streets around that time of night, there were no major mishaps in the Dammam vicinity, barring a few minor bumps and breakdowns on the Dammam-Alkhobar Highway.
The Traffic Department reported two accidents on the Jubail Highway and a pile-up on Jubail Road. In another accident early in the morning one person was seriously injured. Two cars were submerged in rainwater in Dammam’s 91 district. Many cars were abandoned on the streets after they broke down.
Low-lying districts of Dammam and Alkhobar were flooded and workers were soon busy pumping water from the flooded streets. Thuqba, Bayouni and Dammam’s Tubaishi were the worst effected residential areas. Dammam Coastal Road was also flooded. However, the municipality had already prepared a contingency plan to clear the low-lying areas. It had set up water pumps to drain the streets, especially the coastal road.
By morning, however, clouds were clear and the traffic on the main highways and roads was smooth. In the afternoon, it again started drizzling and the weatherman predicted more rain and a considerable drop in temperature.
Reports of damage and destruction caused by heavy rain on Monday have been flowing in from other parts of the Kingdom.
In Jeddah alone, 2,600 cars broke down during the rain. A timely ban on fishing imposed by the Border Guard is thought to have averted several accidents at sea.
Two families who were caught in the rising water on Prince Fahd Street in Jeddah were rescued by the Civil Defense.
Forty girls traveling in a bus narrowly escaped being involved in a major accident when their bus collided with another vehicle, resulting in a pile-up of four vehicles during heavy rains in Buraidah on Tuesday. The girls were on their way to take an examination at the Women’s College of Education in the city. The rain caused 18 other accidents in Buraidah. The rain in the area started at midnight on Monday and continued till Tuesday morning.
In the Baha region, several roads have been blocked by rocks and stones falling from the hills. Workers have been struggling to remove the stones and other obstacles from the roads.
In Baljurshi, police patrols are making continuous rounds to remove road blocks to guarantee the smooth flow of highway traffic. The numerous pools and stagnant water in Qunfuda pose the threat of large scale mosquito breeding and subsequent spread of malaria.
The power supply in Wajh has been disrupted for 12 hours because of technical faults caused by a heavy downpour. And in Hail, several people in rural areas who were stranded by flash floods had to be rescued by the Civil Defense.
In Taif, the rain — which continued until Tuesday evening — was followed by snow.
