DAMMAM, 14 January — Intermittent rain has brought both relief and distress to the people of the Eastern Province. The Traffic Department has been virtually on a round-the-clock vigil as road accidents have reached unprecedented levels.
According to Director of Traffic in the Eastern Province Rashid Al-Amro, in just three days since Wednesday, 460 accidents were reported across the region. Two people were reportedly killed and four were admitted to hospital with serious injuries.
The worst day was Friday, when traffic police registered 162 accidents. There were 150 on Wednesday and 148 on Thursday.
Since Wednesday, the cities of Dammam, Alkhobar, Jubail and Ahsa have been experiencing heavy rains, causing flooding in low-lying areas.
Al-Amro said almost all the accidents were caused by rain and that, despite warnings from the traffic police, many motorists were speeding.
The Traffic Department is coordinating its efforts with the municipality to clear flooded areas in Dammam and Alkhobar. It is also patrolling the Dammam-Khobar Highway, as well as the coastal road, which is prone to flooding during the rainy season.
There has been bright sunshine since Saturday, but the Weather Department predicts unsettled weather for a few more days. The rain, coupled with northerly winds, has brought a cold spell to the region.
Heavy rain was also reported in the south of the country, where three people were killed on Saturday in Jizan after their car slid and collided with a pick-up truck.
Heavy snowfalls have been reported in northern Saudi Arabia for the first time in 40 years as biting cold weather continues to grip the Kingdom.
The snow, which fell on Friday and Saturday, covered an area of more than 70 square kilometers west of Arar city, close to the border with Iraq, around 1,200 km northwest of Riyadh.
In some places, the snow was 20 cm thick, as freezing temperatures were recorded in the northern and central areas.
Saudi Arabia is one of the driest countries in the world, containing within its borders the desert known as Rub Al-Khali.
The Kingdom depends on rainfall and underground water resources for irrigation, but most drinking water is obtained by desalinating seawater.
