24 dead, 4 missing in Saudi floods

A total of 24 people were dead and four others missing in Saudi Arabia over the past week due to heavy rains and floods, Saudi Press Agency reported Friday. Civil defense teams were deployed in the areas hit with floods, and continued dealing with rockslides in valleys as well as searching for missing people, General Director of Civil Defense Lieutenant-General Saad bin Abdullah Al-Tuwaijri said. The official added that the civil defense has dealt with 42,639 cases as of the mid of Friday, highlighting that the emergency plan has helped in reducing damage and casualties. He urged the public not to go to picnic areas near valleys until the weather comes back to normal. Saudi Arabia has been witnessing medium and heavy rains in different districts since last week. Similar weather conditions occurred in 1981, 1982 and 1983 when the largest valleys in the kingdom were filled with water.