MAKKAH: At least three people were killed in a three-hour thunderstorm that caused heavy flooding and brought road traffic to a halt in Makkah Tuesday, authorities said. The three men, a Saudi and two Asians, were killed at Nour Mount in Makkah, a health official said. The rain caused traffic chaos as flooded streets crippled movement of vehicles, uncovering again a failed drainage system, especially in the Awali area. Most of the holy city remained under flood warning for the entire night. The rainfall reached nearly 35 millimeters. The Makkah Mayor's Office said that they had received no prior warning from the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME) about Tuesdays' rains. As clouds gathered in the early evening giving the sings of rain, the Makkah Mayoralty moved its rescue teams across the city for any emergency, said Makkah Mayor Osama Al-Baz. The PME, however, said that it had expected heavy rain in Makkah Tuesday. “It was mentioned in our daily report online,” said PME spokesman Hussein Al-Qahtani. Meanwhile, thousands of pilgrims in the inner (Mataf area) and outer courtyards of the Grand Mosque here were caught off guard as rains forced them to seek shelter inside the Holy Haram and in nearby hotels and buildings. The rains which started at about 5 P.M. continued till well after Maghreb (sunset) prayers and drenched several pilgrims completely. The rains did not dampen the spirit of pilgrims as many of them continued to do tawaf (circumambulation of the Holy Ka'ba). Hundreds of workers in the Grand Mosque started clearing the water in the inner and outer courtyards. Specially built ‘Haram Captor' cleaning machines were pressed into service to drain the rainwater. Many vehicles parked around the Grand Mosque area half submerged in rainwater.
