Family trapped in Jazan flood rescued

There have been torrential rains for the past two days in the Baha region, leading Civil Defense crews to rescue a family trapped in their sport utility vehicle in the Al-Mashaya Valley floods in Al-Makhwah.
Baha Civil Defense chief Lt. Abdullah bin Muhammad Al-Dhabya said his agency received a report that a family was trapped inside their car in the Al-Mashaya Valley.
Rescue teams found a family of three — a couple and their child — trapped in the car surrounded by raging floodwater. The family was rescued and no one was injured.
In another incident, a vehicle was trapped by rainwater in the Belgrishi province. Civil Defense officers later rescued the vehicle's occupants.
Search and rescue efforts also in full swing in the Al-Arrthyat Province, where a young man was swept away by floods. He remained missing until late Saturday.
Meanwhile, Civil Defense officials urged citizens and expatriates in the southern and western regions not to attempt to cross the valleys because rain is expected to continue.
Civil Defense said crews were monitoring weather conditions. Forecasts call for rainfall and thunderstorms.
Forecasts indicated that the southern and western parts of the Kingdom will have moderate to heavy rainfall during next week.
Civil Defense said that it is taking necessary precautions to deal with the hazards of the rain and flooding in the valleys. It deployed rescue teams and divers to locations expected to receive extensive rainfall.
Civil Defense Col. Abdullah Al-Harithi said: “The safety of all people living in these areas is our utmost concern. We take seriously all the reports of the weather changes and the forecast of heavy rainfall in some areas, like Asir, Jazan and the western mountains, during the coming few days and until the first day of the Eid.”
He added: “We are taking the necessary precautionary measures, and I urge all people not to risk their lives and refrain from crossing the valleys and the roads close to the flooded areas.
“I also urge them to cooperate with civil defense and follow safety instructions that are issued in cases like these” he added.