RIYADH, 1 March 2005 — Five youngsters drowned in Riyadh on Sunday in ponds and small lakes created by heavy rainfall. Sources told Arab News that the youths were between 10 and 14 and had gone swimming without adult supervision.
Heavy rainfall also caused many cars to stall in water that in some places was more than a meter deep.
Dozens of traffic accidents were reported on both Khurais Road and King Fahd Road, two of the main roads linking different parts of the city. Places such as Al-Naseem and other poorly-maintained areas regularly suffer many problems when it rains due to the absence of a sewage system.
Maj. Gen. Misfir Al-Juaid, head of the Civil Defense Department in Riyadh, told Al-Eqtisadiah, a sister publication of Arab News, that the Civil Defense Department had used helicopters and rescued dozens of citizens trapped by floods or rising waters in Wadi Namar and Wadi Laban on the outskirts of Riyadh.
According to Al-Juaid, the rescue operations went very smoothly, adding that he was “satisfied with the results.”
He did, however, warn people to avoid camping near rapidly-flowing waters as this could endanger their lives.
He called on the public to follow the Civil Defense guidelines and said that people should not leave their residences when it was raining and to avoid driving on roads which are known to have potholes since these could be full of water.
He issued a strong warning that the public should avoid walking or driving near exposed electric wires when it is raining. Sheltering under trees is also unsafe since trees are particularly vulnerable to being struck by lightning.
Shops on the road to Al-Thumama have been making huge profits since last Friday as demands for tents, rugs, wood, and canned foods have increased as campers head out of the city.
The Ministry of Water and Electricity on Sunday issued a report on rainfall in all areas of the Kingdom, including Riyadh, during the previous 24 hours. According to the report, Al-Qassim received the most — 38mm followed by Majmaah — 32 mm.
