Some even fled to the homes of relatives to spend the night, not wanting to repeat the experience of being trapped by rushing and treacherous waters.
The less-frightened locals opted out of panicking and headed out to the shoreline for picnics after the rains. In some areas, power had been turned off in order to avoid any possible fires.
During the rains, people in the areas most affected by the floods were seem outside their homes and businesses looking at the sky as if it might provide some warning of flash floods. Their eyes told it all. They were clearly concerned that in a matter of minutes they would find themselves struggling for their lives as water from distant locations once again washed through their neighborhoods.
“We received reports from some relatives that Wadi Quos and other small valleys were flooding,” said Ahmad Al-Zahrani, a resident of Al-Harazat district. “We went there to check by ourselves only to see that the water in the valley was low and did not constitute any danger.”
But then the power went out.
“This brought to us memories of last year,” he added.
Abdul Raheem Maghli, who said a friend of his called him warning about the flooding of Wadi Quos, went out to check for himself if there was any danger.
“My father, who was traveling outside Jeddah, came back to the house immediately and I went to the wadi with the others,” he said.
Though the rain didn't last long and did no damage, water was seen penetrating sand barriers left over from last year, spilling out onto a nearby road.
