Ahmad Abdullah Saudi Gazette JEDDAH – Nine people, five from the same family, died after being swept away by torrential rains that lashed Rabigh Governorate Sunday night. A man and his wife as well as three children were sitting inside their car when the flash floods swept away their vehicle. In another car, a young man with his mother, and aunt were killed while two children who were with them inside the car were rescued. Two brave men saved more than 30 people from drowning before one of them was swept away in the flash floods. The two youths were riding a water tanker when the vehicle overturned. Col. Saeed Sarhan, Makkah Civil Defense Directorate spokesman, said four rescue teams were dispatched to the valley. They searched for victims all night long and were able to recover all the dead bodies by Monday afternoon, he said. The spokesman urged citizens and expatriates all over the Kingdom to keep abreast of weather updates and not to jeopardize themselves by going out in valleys during heavy rains. Rabigh Governor as well as the Civil Defense Director inspected Monday morning the valley, 35 kilometers east of Rabigh, and offered their condolences to the families of the victims.
