Saudi Public Prosecution to Investigate Jeddah Floods

Floods in the Jeddah Streets (Adnan Mahdali, Mohammed al-Manae)
Floods in the Jeddah Streets (Adnan Mahdali, Mohammed al-Manae)
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Saudi Public Prosecution to Investigate Jeddah Floods

Floods in the Jeddah Streets (Adnan Mahdali, Mohammed al-Manae)
Floods in the Jeddah Streets (Adnan Mahdali, Mohammed al-Manae)

Saudi Public Prosecution confirmed it will proceed in investigating the reasons behind the flooding of Jeddah streets.

The prosecution issued a statement saying that Saudi Attorney General Saud bin Abdallah al-Mojeb issued directives to the head of the Public Prosecution Branch in the Mecca region and the head of the Department of Jeddah province and all branches and departments in all parts of the Kingdom that the Public Prosecution should be fully ready to proceed with all matters related to any cases associated with the recent flash flooding in Jeddah.

He underlined that all officials should carry out their duty “to the fullest extent with no nepotism, and that they have the power to arrest, investigate and prosecute.”

Mojeb pointed out that the work of the Public Prosecution comes within the framework of its judicial characterization according to its system as it “represents an important pillar of the justice system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”, adding that it is supported and continuously followed-up by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and the Crown Prince.

The attorney general pointed out that branches of Saudi’s public prosecution should work closely with him to report the results of its work in this regard.

Heavy rain arrived in Jeddah on Tuesday, flooding streets and closing schools and universities in the Saudi city, while navigation was stopped and several air flights delayed.

Jeddah Health Affairs issued a statement saying that it received 29 emergency calls in light of the flooding, eight related to electrocution, one reporting a death case, while the remainder were related to traffic accidents.

Civil defense also issued further flood warnings as rain is expected to continue on Wednesday.

Jeddah Islamic Port also closed as of 8:10 in the morning because of the weather and heavy winds.

The weather monitoring center of King Abdul Aziz International Airport was hit by lightning damaging some equipment, but the center continued its work of sending and receiving weather reports.

Few flights were shortly delayed because of the weather conditions and Saudi Arabian Airlines announced that it will not impose any penalty or additional charges for passengers who missed flights.

Governor of Mecca province and advisor to Saudi King Salman Prince Khalid Al Faisal checked the roads and urban areas.

Saudi National Centre for Security Operations at the Interior Ministry received 10,902 calls by "911" operations in Mecca mostly to inquire about the condition of roads and streets that could be used for traffic or report accidents.

Control and Guidance Centers of the Civil Defense received 1989 reports from several Saudi cities with a total of 481 rescued, ten families evacuated, and 41 vehicles towed away.

Center for Crisis and Disaster Management in the Mecca warned locals against heading to valleys and flood-prone areas due to the heavy rains. It reported that a number of main roads and tunnels in Jeddah were temporarily closed for safety reasons. The tunnels that were temporarily closed included one on Palestine Road and Prince Majed Street, Hira Street and Prince Majed Street, and others.

Education officials in issued a statement suspending schools in the area, as well as King Abdulaziz University and all its branches.

The General Authority of Meteorology and Environmental Protection said that rain levels on Tuesday morning recorded between 25mm and 35mm. It warned that these weather conditions will continue till Wednesday morning.



Saudi Arabia Emphasizes Peaceful Cooperation to Achieve Global Security

Ambassador Abdul Mohsen bin Khothaila speaks during the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference. (Photo: Saudi Mission in Geneva)
Ambassador Abdul Mohsen bin Khothaila speaks during the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference. (Photo: Saudi Mission in Geneva)
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Saudi Arabia Emphasizes Peaceful Cooperation to Achieve Global Security

Ambassador Abdul Mohsen bin Khothaila speaks during the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference. (Photo: Saudi Mission in Geneva)
Ambassador Abdul Mohsen bin Khothaila speaks during the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference. (Photo: Saudi Mission in Geneva)

Saudi Arabia emphasized peaceful international cooperation as a means to achieve global prosperity, stability and security, stressing the importance of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the necessity of its full implementation.

Ambassador Abdul Mohsen bin Khothaila, the Permanent Saudi Representative to the United Nations and international organizations in Geneva, participated in the second session of the Preparatory Committee for the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference.

The ambassador called for more effective international efforts to achieve the goals and universality of the NPT, urging non-party states to join the treaty and subject all their nuclear facilities to the comprehensive safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Affirming the right to the peaceful use of nuclear technology under Article 4 of the Treaty, he underlined the importance of adhering to the highest standards of transparency and reliability, calling on all parties to cooperate to promote peaceful use for the benefit of global development and well-being.

He stated that the responsibility for making the Middle East a nuclear-weapon-free zone lies with the international community, especially the sponsors of the 1995 resolution on the Middle East.

Bin Khothaila condemned the recent statements and threats made by a member of the Israeli government regarding the use of nuclear weapons against the Palestinians, describing his words as violations of international law and a threat to global peace and security.

He further called for intensifying cooperation between the parties to the NPT to attain positive results at the next “review conference” in 2026, with the aim of achieving a safe world free of nuclear weapons.