Saudi Arabia NOW! Red Alert in Mecca: Extreme Rains, Severe Flooding and Dust Storms

Since August 3, destructive rains have once again hit Saudi Arabia, causing serious consequences. On August 3, 2024, one of the strongest floods in recent years occurred in the Jazan region. Water flooded roads and streets, leading to significant power outages. Many roads were closed, and authorities canceled in-person classes in schools to ensure the safety of students and staff. Meteorological services of the Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, issued strict recommendations to refrain from traveling due to dangerous conditions.

After 10 hours of continuous rain in Jazan, a bridge connecting the provinces of Abu Arish and Sabya collapsed. As a result, one person died and several were injured. Due to the collapse of the bridge, traffic was redirected to alternative roads. The Ahad Al-Masaraha area was hit the hardest by the disaster. Three cars were swept away in Wadi Musalla, and strong water flows caused significant damage to the southern governorates of the region. Heavy rains also caused the roof of a building in a commercial market to collapse.

The rains caused reduced visibility in the city of Al-Baha and its suburbs, affecting Baljurashi, Bani Hassan, Al-Qura, and other regions. A waterspout was spotted on the coast of Farasan Island in Jizan, which is an extremely unusual phenomenon for the region. On August 4, extreme rains also hit Mecca.

The National Center for Meteorology of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia declared a red alert for dust storms and thunderstorms for the Mecca region. This is the highest level of alert that can be issued for weather conditions.

The territory of Saudi Arabia most vividly illustrates how rapidly climate disasters are intensifying and changing familiar weather conditions. In a country with a traditionally desert climate, abnormally heavy rains and large-scale floods occur so often that it no longer surprises the global community but brings enormous damage to the country's residents. Unfortunately, the trend is such that everything will only get worse. The economic and social consequences will be so significant that they could lead to the complete collapse of modern civilization.

This is not a hypothetical scenario — this is our near future if we do not take urgent extraordinary measures. For more information on this, watch the forum "Global Crisis. The Responsibility."