Flash floods leave 12 dead in Makka

Torrential rain in the holy city of Makka has left 12 people dead, and 50 injured, according to Saudi medical sources.

The Muslim holy city of Makka is particularly busy in Ramadan

Severe weather has been pounding the city since Monday, when water levels in some parts of the city reached 6m.

The flash floods left students and employees trapped in the city, unable to make their way home. According to newspaper reports traffic came to a standstill in the al-Zahir neighbourhood beacuse of the water.

One person was believed to have died in a village near Makka after he became trapped as flood waters continued to rise in the area.

Saudi Arabia is one of the driest countries in the world, but rainstorms are common in the mountainous region along the west coast.

Source: News Agencies