News
Latest News
news bulletin
Breaking Headlines
Israel-Gaza War Updates
Variety and Tech
Sports News
Middle East News
World News
Lebanon News
Press Highlights
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Other News
Breaking Headlines
Israel-Gaza War Updates
Variety and Tech
Sports News
Middle East News
World News
Lebanon News
Press Highlights
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Beirut
25
o
Bekaa
29
o
Keserwan
25
o
Metn
25
o
Mount Lebanon
25
o
North
26
o
South
24
o
Live
Video
Audio
Schedule
shows
العربية
watching now
2:30pm news
SUBSCRIBE
Home
Notification
Live
Video
Audio
shows
Beirut
25
o
Bekaa
29
o
Keserwan
25
o
Metn
25
o
Mount Lebanon
25
o
North
26
o
South
24
o
News
Programs
The News
Breaking Headlines
Israel-Gaza War Updates
Variety and Tech
Sports News
Middle East News
World News
Lebanon News
Press Highlights
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Programs
Documentaries
Lebanon’s Centennial
News Bulletin
The Untold History
Talk Show
Series
Sports
Variety
Other
Comedy
Oldies
Breaking News
Latest News
Highlighted News
Most Read
Videos
العربية
Watch the latest programs and the latest developments on your favorite screen
Shows
Join millions of followers
Who We Are
Contact Us
Advertise With Us
Careers
Channel frequencies
Privacy Policy
Terms and Conditions
Strong winds and heavy rain hit Mecca
Middle East News
2023-08-23 | 08:39
High views
Share
Share
3
min
Strong winds and heavy rain hit Mecca
Schools in Mecca were forced to close their doors on Wednesday as strong winds and heavy rain hit the city, located in the western region of the Kingdom, for several hours starting from Tuesday evening, according to witnesses.
While worshippers were circumambulating the Kaaba in the Grand Mosque at around 6:00 PM local time, a lightning strike hit the famous Clock Tower in the Fairmont Makkah Hotel, illuminating the sky of the holy city.
Hussein Al-Qahtani, spokesperson for the Saudi Arabia's National Center of Meteorology, informed AFP that wind speeds exceeded 80 kilometers per hour.
He noted that this intensity of wind is similar to the storm that caused a crane to collapse in the Grand Mosque in 2015, resulting in the loss of over a hundred lives and injuring dozens.
However, as of Tuesday, there have been no reports of casualties due to the adverse weather conditions.
Abu Mayada, a resident of Mecca, told AFP, "I was buying cigarettes when everything turned black in front of me" as the storm began.
The fifty-year-old man continued, "Suddenly, I lost control of the car. I couldn't see anything. I started to hear the Quran on the radio. I didn't understand what was happening."
The National Center of Meteorology in Saudi Arabia tweeted that the residential neighborhood of Al-Kakiya in southern Mecca recorded 45 millimeters of rainfall per hour.
Residents of Mecca sent videos to AFP showing pilgrims outside the Grand Mosque struggling to maintain their balance amidst the fierce winds that knocked over the colorful plastic barriers, sending them scattering across the marble floor, soaked with rainwater.
Several residents who spoke to AFP declined to reveal their family names.
Mohammed, a resident of the city, was shopping in a store during the peak of the storm and said, "The scene was terrifying."
He added, "Everything happened within minutes after the rain started crazily pouring."
Youssef, another resident of the city, confirmed that the month of August usually brings strong winds to Mecca, but he emphasized that Tuesday's storm was the "worst" experience he recalls.
Despite the floods subsiding significantly by Wednesday morning, the Mecca Emirate decided to exercise more caution.
They transitioned from in-person to online education on Wednesday "due to the unstable weather conditions and to ensure the safety of everyone," as announced on Twitter late Tuesday.
The National Center of Meteorology warned on Wednesday of further storms accompanied by rain and winds in Mecca Emirate and the western regions of the Gulf Kingdom.
Al-Qahtani affirmed that this bout of bad weather is "consistent with the seasonal aspect, especially in the Mecca region."
AFP
Middle East News
Strong
Winds
Heavy
Rain
Mecca
Weather
Environment
Saudi Arabia
Next
Economic Frustration: Protests in Southern Syria's Sweida reflect growing dissent
Turkey suspends shipping traffic in Dardanelles Strait due to forest fire
Previous
Related Articles
d-none hideMe
0
World News
2024-05-23
Washington 'strongly' urges China to exercise restraint amidst maneuvers around Taiwan
World News
2024-05-23
Washington 'strongly' urges China to exercise restraint amidst maneuvers around Taiwan
0
World News
2024-05-18
Fifty dead in heavy rain, floods in Afghanistan
World News
2024-05-18
Fifty dead in heavy rain, floods in Afghanistan
0
Middle East News
2024-04-17
At least one dead following heavy rains in UAE
Middle East News
2024-04-17
At least one dead following heavy rains in UAE
0
Middle East News
2024-04-14
Saudi Arabia expresses 'deep concern' over regional developments: Urges restraint for regional stability
Middle East News
2024-04-14
Saudi Arabia expresses 'deep concern' over regional developments: Urges restraint for regional stability
Recommended For You
d-none hideMe
0
Middle East News
06:23
Iran registers presidential candidates for early vote after Raisi's death
Middle East News
06:23
Iran registers presidential candidates for early vote after Raisi's death
0
Middle East News
06:07
Israel sends messages to Tehran to avoid Iranian response to embassy attack
Middle East News
06:07
Israel sends messages to Tehran to avoid Iranian response to embassy attack
0
Israel-Gaza War Updates
03:28
Israel seizes Gaza's entire border with Egypt
Israel-Gaza War Updates
03:28
Israel seizes Gaza's entire border with Egypt
0
Middle East News
00:27
China looks forward to establishing relations with Arab countries that serve as a model for global peace
Middle East News
00:27
China looks forward to establishing relations with Arab countries that serve as a model for global peace
Subscribe to our VOD
SUBSCRIBE
Our visitors readings
d-none hideMe
0
Breaking Headlines
2023-12-13
TMC: One dead and two injured in 3 traffic accidents during the past 24 hours
Breaking Headlines
2023-12-13
TMC: One dead and two injured in 3 traffic accidents during the past 24 hours
0
World News
2024-05-26
Three bodies retrieved from Papua New Guinea landslide
World News
2024-05-26
Three bodies retrieved from Papua New Guinea landslide
0
Israel-Gaza War Updates
2024-04-21
'Mass casualties' in Gaza: Women and children among victims, Civil Defense reports
Israel-Gaza War Updates
2024-04-21
'Mass casualties' in Gaza: Women and children among victims, Civil Defense reports
0
News Bulletin Reports
2023-11-20
The power of 'Hasbara': Unveiling Israel's organized propaganda machine
News Bulletin Reports
2023-11-20
The power of 'Hasbara': Unveiling Israel's organized propaganda machine
Videos
d-none hideMe
0
Middle East News
2024-05-21
Funeral ceremony of the Iranian president begins in Tabriz (Video)
Middle East News
2024-05-21
Funeral ceremony of the Iranian president begins in Tabriz (Video)
0
Lebanon News
2024-05-14
Exclusive LBCI interview: Canadian FM urges ceasefire and Resolution 1701 adherence in Lebanon talks, discusses Canadian support for LAF, UNIFIL
Lebanon News
2024-05-14
Exclusive LBCI interview: Canadian FM urges ceasefire and Resolution 1701 adherence in Lebanon talks, discusses Canadian support for LAF, UNIFIL
0
Lebanon News
2024-04-30
University Students Organize Solidarity Protest for Palestine (VIDEO)
Lebanon News
2024-04-30
University Students Organize Solidarity Protest for Palestine (VIDEO)
0
Lebanon News
2023-12-11
Breaking: Israel launches raid north of Litani on Monday (Video)
Lebanon News
2023-12-11
Breaking: Israel launches raid north of Litani on Monday (Video)
0
Lebanon News
2023-11-02
Exclusive to LBCI: U.S. State Department's Wooster Stresses Lebanon Must Avoid War, Sees Renewed Push for Two-State Solution
Lebanon News
2023-11-02
Exclusive to LBCI: U.S. State Department's Wooster Stresses Lebanon Must Avoid War, Sees Renewed Push for Two-State Solution
0
Lebanon News
2023-10-18
Protests Erupt near US Embassy in Awkar Against Israeli Attacks on Al-Maamadani Hospital in Gaza
Lebanon News
2023-10-18
Protests Erupt near US Embassy in Awkar Against Israeli Attacks on Al-Maamadani Hospital in Gaza
0
Lebanon News
2023-10-05
ATFL's Ambassador Edward Gabriel on Navigating Through Economic, Political, and Refugee Crises
Lebanon News
2023-10-05
ATFL's Ambassador Edward Gabriel on Navigating Through Economic, Political, and Refugee Crises
0
Sports News
2023-08-31
Amir Saoud Powers Lebanon to Victory Over Cote d'Ivoire: A Deep Dive Into The Numbers
Sports News
2023-08-31
Amir Saoud Powers Lebanon to Victory Over Cote d'Ivoire: A Deep Dive Into The Numbers
0
Sports News
2023-08-29
France Edges Past Lebanon in a Nail-Biter at FIBA World Cup 2023: A Statistical Deep Dive
Sports News
2023-08-29
France Edges Past Lebanon in a Nail-Biter at FIBA World Cup 2023: A Statistical Deep Dive
Most read
d-none hideMe
24 hours
7 days
Month
1
Israel-Gaza War Updates
12:31
The Israeli army achieves full operational control over the Philadelphi corridor
Israel-Gaza War Updates
12:31
The Israeli army achieves full operational control over the Philadelphi corridor
2
Lebanon News
09:39
UNIFIL: Political and diplomatic solution is the only way to resolve the issue
Lebanon News
09:39
UNIFIL: Political and diplomatic solution is the only way to resolve the issue
3
Middle East News
15:34
Three Syrian fighters working with Hezbollah killed in Israeli airstrike in Homs
Middle East News
15:34
Three Syrian fighters working with Hezbollah killed in Israeli airstrike in Homs
4
Lebanon News
09:56
Gemayel after meeting Le Drian: We requested two guarantees, Kataeb insists on electing a President as soon as possible
Lebanon News
09:56
Gemayel after meeting Le Drian: We requested two guarantees, Kataeb insists on electing a President as soon as possible
5
Lebanon News
11:59
Lebanon backtracks on allowing ICJ to investigate alleged war crimes
Lebanon News
11:59
Lebanon backtracks on allowing ICJ to investigate alleged war crimes
6
Middle East News
00:27
China looks forward to establishing relations with Arab countries that serve as a model for global peace
Middle East News
00:27
China looks forward to establishing relations with Arab countries that serve as a model for global peace
7
Israel-Gaza War Updates
00:37
Egyptian president calls in Beijing to address the 'attempts of forced displacement of Palestinians'
Israel-Gaza War Updates
00:37
Egyptian president calls in Beijing to address the 'attempts of forced displacement of Palestinians'
8
Israel-Gaza War Updates
11:48
Blinken: Israel needs a post-war plan 'as soon as possible'
Israel-Gaza War Updates
11:48
Blinken: Israel needs a post-war plan 'as soon as possible'
Download now the LBCI mobile app
To see the latest news, the latest daily programs in Lebanon and the world
Google Play
App Store
We use
cookies
We use
cookies
to make
your experience on this
website better.
Accept
Learn More