SAUDI ARABIA

Rain wreaks havoc in Laith; 3 stranded workers airlifted

November 04, 2018

Irfan Mohammed



Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH
— Al-Laith city and its surrounding villages in the coastal region of Makkah province have witnessed a catastrophic flood situation with several incidents of people getting marooned after rainwater submerged houses and roads.

Many roads were cut off following the rain, according to residents of the city who spoke to Saudi Gazette.

Three expatriate workers were airlifted from the construction site of a dam by a security helicopter Saturday night.

Fighting adverse weather conditions in the dead of night, the Saudi helicopter crew in a risky yet heroic action rescued the stranded workers who were clinging on to a piece of earth-moving equipment after the area got flooded.

“We have received information about three expatriate workers, one each from Nepal, Yemen and Egypt, but our ground teams were unable to reach the spot due to the heavy currents. The help of a security helicopter was sought, and it came and airlifted the trapped workers,” Col. Saeed Sarhan, spokesman for the Civil Defense in Makkah province, said in a statement.

A Saudi citizen who was waiting for help at a hill area amid rising water was rescued by the Civil Defense ground rescue teams, he added.

As a precautionary measure the road to Qunfudah was closed to prevent any possible untoward incident. It is one of the busiest roads that connect the southern Saudi provinces with the Western region.

The flood-prone Al-Laith valley, the largest in western Saudi Arabia, had witnessed havoc during previous rain seasons. The construction of a dam in the area to prevent floodwaters from reaching residential neighborhoods has been a long-time demand by the citizens living in the area.

The construction of the dam was under progress at the site where the three expatriate workers were trapped.

Meanwhile, the body of an Indian worker was found after a two-day search in the area. The man was trapped inside a vehicle, which was swept away during the flood.

“I was not able to go to work due to the water condition and the road closure,” said Sheikh Nagoor, an Indian expatriate who lives on Qunfudah Road in Al-Laith. He said the floodwater had submerged some houses in his neighborhood.


November 04, 2018
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