Severe Storms Ravage Saudi Arabia, Causing Widespread Damage (+Video)
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Saudi Arabia faced a barrage of severe lightning storms and powerful easterly winds on Tuesday, resulting in extensive destruction throughout the country.
Mecca, Jeddah, and several other regions bore the brunt of the turbulent weather.
Numerous dramatic videos capturing the tempest's fury circulated on social media, illustrating the relentless force of the winds, which were potent enough to dislodge heavy plastic barriers. These gusts also posed a threat to Umrah pilgrims at the Grand Mosque of Mecca.
The footage documenting the storm's severity included the collapse of power poles amidst torrential rain on Asfan Road, northeast of Jeddah. In various video clips, electricity poles precariously leaned over roadways, providing a stark depiction of the unstable weather conditions.
Initial reports indicated that Jeddah was engulfed in a dust storm, with dense clouds of dust blanketing the skies.
On Tuesday morning, August 22, the National Meteorological Centre of Saudi Arabia issued a weather alert outlining the prevailing weather conditions for the next 24 hours. Meteorological experts have predicted thunderstorms and high winds in regions such as Medina, Mecca, Asir, Jazan, and Al Baha.
Conversely, the Tabuk and Najran regions are expected to experience surface winds that will stir up dust. Rafha, Hafr Al Batin, and AlSaman reported scorching temperatures reaching 47 degrees Celsius, while Al Suda experienced a low of 14 degrees Celsius, with humidity levels soaring to 95 percent.
Renowned meteorologist Abdullah Al Osaimi noted that such weather patterns signal the onset of the autumn season in October.