At least one killed, 10 injured after Saudi’s Asir region hit by floods

At least one person has been killed and 10 injured after severe floods hit Saudi’s Asir region on Wednesday, according to local reports.

The Saudi Civil Defense said the agency rescued over 280 people from the region, reported local daily Arab News.

The agency also said it received more than 900 emergency calls in the southern cities of Abha and Khamis Mushayt.

Social media was filled with pictures of flooded roads, with several cars completely submerged in water.

الصخور عسير Graves Inundaciones en Toda la región de Asir #Arabia_Saudí por #3seer el 14.02.2017. #Flood #Landslide #Severe #Storm #Rain pic.twitter.com/QIsNcPi54U

— ⚠David de Zabedrosky (@deZabedrosky) February 15, 2017

#Saudi Civil Defense put on alert after rainstorms hit #Asir region. https://t.co/lPoCaSyqbd #rainstorm pic.twitter.com/UaqanPSWfk

— Arab News (@Arab_News) February 15, 2017

A report by Al Arabiya claimed that at least 45 students were safely pulled out of a school bus which drowned in the floods.

Many schools were closed and warning sirens were also reportedly launched in the Abha dam area.

Asir governor Prince Faisal bin Khalid has directed the Emergency and Civil Defense Committee to follow up on rescue efforts, Arab News reported.

Saad bin Abdullah Al-Thabet, spokesman of the governor’s office, urged people in the area to be cautious and avoid going near valleys.

According to weather reports, Saudi capital Riyadh was also hit by rain with thunderstorms on Wednesday.