Mecca under water – flooding in the holy city

On Monday, torrential rains with record precipitation swept across the southeastern regions of Saudi Arabia. Within hours, Arab media reported flooding in Mecca, sharing dramatic footage from the holy city of Muslims. Streets are completely submerged, many people have been trapped by the water, and the situation remains dire.

Mecca and Medina – alarming forecasts

On Saturday, January 4th, the Saudi Press Agency reported an approaching wave of heavy rainfall, citing data from the National Center of Meteorology (NCM). The weather disruption is expected to last until Wednesday, accompanied by hailstorms, thunderstorms, winds of up to 60 km/h, and high waves along the coast.

NCM declared the highest red-level warning for areas within the Mecca and Al-Bahah regions. Continuous heavy rainfall was also reported in the Medina region, particularly around the city of Jeddah, where some flights were canceled yesterday. A record amount of precipitation was recorded on Monday in the Badr governorate, where 49.2 mm/m² of rain fell. People fear a repeat of the 2009 floods in Jeddah, which claimed more than 100 lives.

Massive Flooding right now due to torrential rainfall in Jeddah Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 (Jan 06، 2024) pic.twitter.com/c5UZDmuVzK

— Weather monitor (@Weathermonitors) January 6, 2025

The storm system will also reach the largest Riyadh region today and tomorrow, with the heaviest rains expected north of the capital. Schools have switched to online lessons. Transportation has been disrupted as water cascading down steep desert slopes floods highways.

Flooding in Mecca endangers pilgrims

Reports from Mecca, the most important city for Muslim pilgrimages, are dramatic. The flash floods inundated entire streets, forcing people to flee their cars and buses immediately. Torrential waters carry uprooted trees and vast amounts of debris, posing direct threats to lives. In towns southeast of Mecca, people were seen forming human chains to rescue children cut off by the water.

According to the Saudi Press Agency, the flooding in Mecca has put all emergency services on high alert. Over 1,400 personnel and 140 vehicles have been deployed to provide immediate assistance to those affected. Volunteer emergency units have also been established, and doctors and medical technicians throughout the Mecca region are on standby. Authorities urge residents to exercise caution and follow emergency alerts on mobile applications.

Footage from Mecca shows raging rivers of muddy floodwaters that submerge cars up to their roofs in some areas. In the steep, narrow streets of the holy city, the water causes dangerous collisions. So far, media outlets have not reported any casualties in Mecca. However, thousands of pilgrims remain in the city, gathering for prayers despite the relentless rain.