Saudi Gazette report TABUK – A sweeping cold wave and snowfall in the northern Tabuk region has resulted in several traffic accidents over the weekend killing at least four people and injuring 40 others, the Saudi Press Agency reported Saturday. Atta Al-Omrani, health affairs spokesman in the region, said most of the cases were reported from Haql, the northwestern border region. “At least four deaths and 32 injuries were reported in Haql during the weekend after a cold wave hit the region Tuesday evening. Most of the injured were treated at Haql General Hospital and discharged while eight people still remain under observation at the hospital,” he said. Al-Omrani said five members of a family who sustained multiple injuries in an accident on Al-Sharaf road leading to Al-Laus Mountain were first taken to Al-Bidae hospital and then shifted to Tabuk's King Khaled Hospital. At least 20 people were injured on Friday in 16 accidents on the road, which has been witnessing heavy traffic since the beginning of the cold wave. Spokesman for Tabuk Red Crescent Husam Al-Saleh said nine rescue teams were stationed along the road to offer emergency assistance to people in distress. Al-Omrani said at least 40 people were admitted to King Khaled Hospital and King Fahd Hospital on Wednesday and Thursday with injuries caused by weather-related accidents. Four of them later succumbed to their injuries. “The health department has mobilized all resources to cope with the emergency situation caused by the cold wave. Emergency teams have been deployed at parks and recreational centers where there is an increased chance for people getting stuck due to inclement weather,” Al-Omrani added. Chief of Tabuk traffic police Brig. Mohammad Al-Najjar cautioned against speeding and negligence of safety rules while driving. Meanwhile, the Kingdom's embassy in Amman received a number of calls from Saudis who were stranded in various parts of Jordan due to snowfall. Early last week, the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME) had warned against a cold wave hitting the Kingdom's northern regions. The PME spokesman urged motorists, farmers and cattle owners all over the Kingdom to follow instructions regularly posted on the PME website.
