Makkah authorities take precautionary measures By Wael Abdullah Saudi Gazette MAKKAH — Heavy rain, thunder, fog and hail are expected over parts of the Kingdom starting Sunday, with Makkah likely to experience major downpours, according to the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME). Rain clouds are expected over the southwestern regions of the Kingdom including the heights of Najran, Jizan, Asir and Al-Baha, said the PME in a report issued Saturday. The PME said the cloud belt would move over Makkah, Taif and Madina and extend to Riyadh, Qassim, Hail and the Eastern Province. These clouds will be preceded by active surface winds which will affect horizontal visibility. Hail is expected to fall over the southwest and western heights. There is also a chance of fog in the mountain areas and parts of the Red Sea coast. Meanwhile, the Civil Defense and traffic authorities in Makkah have drawn up emergency plans to deal with the heavy rains which are expected to lash the holy city in the next 48 hours, taking into consideration traffic jams caused by the mega development projects under way in different parts of the city. The plans also deal with deep excavations created by projects taking place in Makkah, which could fill with rainwater and threaten the lives of pedestrians. Col. Ali Al-Mentishiri, Makkah Civil Defense spokesman and head of the Investigation Department, said the plan drawn up by the Civil Administration in Makkah will be carried out by more than 50 field teams equipped with all the necessary machinery and equipment in addition to 20 rubber boats. He said the field teams will be stationed in areas identified earlier on aerial maps. Most of the teams will be posted in these areas to help people who may be stranded in floods. He urged the public to stay away from valleys in case of heavy downpours, especially the valleys surrounding the holy city. Col. Fawzi Al-Ansari, Traffic Police spokesman in Makkah, said his administration has tasked a team of officers and non-commissioned officers to deal with any emergency. He pointed out that the team is familiar with areas where rainwater gathers. He said the electricity maintenance team will work around-the-clock to repair any damage to traffic signals. __
