2009 Jeddah floods
2009 natural disaster in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The 2009 Saudi Arabian floods affected Jeddah, on the Red Sea (western) coast of Saudi Arabia, and other areas of Makkah Province.[2][3] They have been described by civil defence officials as the worst in 27 years.[4] As of 3 January 2010, some 122 people had been reported to have been killed,[1] and more than 350 were missing.[2] Some roads were under a meter (three feet) of water on 26 November, and many of the victims were believed to have drowned in their cars. At least 3,000 vehicles were swept away or damaged.[2][5][6] The death toll was expected to rise as flood waters receded, allowing rescuers to reach stranded vehicles.[7]
Meteorological history | |
---|---|
Duration | 25 November 2009 |
Overall effects | |
Fatalities | 122[1] (more than 350 missing) |
Damage | ر.س 1 billion |
Areas affected | Jeddah and other areas of Makkah Province |
This article's factual accuracy may be compromised due to out-of-date information. (November 2012) |
More than 70 millimetres (2.76 inches) of rain fell in Jeddah in just four hours on 25 November.[2][5] This is nearly twice the average for an entire year[8] and the heaviest rainfall in Saudi Arabia in a decade.[9] The flooding came just two days before the expected date of the Eid al-Adha festival[4] and during the annual Hajj pilgrimage to nearby Mecca.[10] Business losses were estimated at a billion riyals (US$270 million). The poorer neighbourhoods in the south of Jeddah were particularly hard hit,[11][12] as was the area around King Abdulaziz University. The university was closed for vacation at the time of the floods, preventing even higher casualties.[13]