One dead, hundreds rescued as floods hit Saudi Arabia's Asir region

ABHA, Feb 15 2017: Saudi authorities have reported the death of one person on Wednesday and the rescue of hundreds of others after severe flooding in Saudi Arabia's Asir region. The Civil Defense said an individual had died and ten others injured as the agency rescued over 280 people while dealing with more than 900 emergency calls in the southern cities of Abha and Khamis Mushayt. Flooding in the region caused road closures and the launch of warning sirens in Abha dam area.   Civil Defense authorities said that rescue teams in Abha city saved several people whose cars were submerged in water. No injuries were reported. Many schools were closed following the severe rainstorms.  Asir Gov. Prince Faisal bin Khalid has directed the Emergency and Civil Defense Committee to closely follow up efforts to alleviate the poor weather conditions in the region.  Saad bin Abdullah Al-Thabet, spokesman of the governor’s office, said the governor is following up the efforts of government agencies. He also said warning sirens in the Abha Dam Valley are a precautionary measure when the dam has flooded. He said that it is a routine measure to preserve the safety of citizens and residents. Al-Thabet urged citizens to take caution, and avoid going near valleys that could threaten their safety. He also noted that the Emergency and Civil Defense Committee, headed by Undersecretary of the region Suleiman Al-Greish, has been following up the situation since the start of rain early on Tuesday. He added that the committee has also studied ways of activating the precautionary measures and how to alert citizens and residents, as well as finding urgent solutions to avoid hazard