Life in Qatif Remains Comfortable Even With Temporary Lockdown

Mayas Market, Qatif. Photograph by Issa al-Dabis
Mayas Market, Qatif. Photograph by Issa al-Dabis
TT
20

Life in Qatif Remains Comfortable Even With Temporary Lockdown

Mayas Market, Qatif. Photograph by Issa al-Dabis
Mayas Market, Qatif. Photograph by Issa al-Dabis

With the temporary lockdown in the province of Qatif, in eastern Saudi Arabia, entering its second week, the situation in the province on the coast of the Arabian Gulf seems ordinary despite concerns of the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The medical staff there are working tirelessly, especially in Qatif Central Hospital, where people infected with the virus are being treated.

Two days ago, a patient who was infected in Iran became the hospital's first patient to recover from the virus. 

In a statement to Asharq Al-Awsat, Dr. Zaki al-Zaher, the Chief Executive of Medical and Clinical Affairs in the Department of Health in Qatif, said that the medical team at the Qatif Central Hospital has been working hard to provide care to those infected and that their efforts have led to the recovery of some cases. He added that the Saudi Ministry of Health provided substantive support to medical teams and other employees fighting the virus, including the provision of an airplane to transfer samples to laboratories outside the eastern region in order to accelerate work and make it more efficient. He also said that he was optimistic that “Soon, we will have other recoveries… The effort being exerted is strong, wide and organized, and it will be fruitful."

On Qatif's waterfront, stretching from Saihat south of Qatif, the residents appeared to be living normally. Asharq Al-Awsat observed that many people were playing sports while their presence in markets was sparse amid warnings against crowded gatherings for fear of the virus spreading. A number of families said that they understand the necessity of the lockdown, and that they appreciate the collaborative effort of government agencies to provide the province with its needs.

Qatif includes cities like Saihat, Safwa, Ank and the city of Qatif. It also includes Tarout Island, the second largest on the gulf after Bahrain, among several villages and towns. With the precautionary measures being implemented by the Ministry of Health, the Qatif Municipality has banned street vendors in order to maintain public health with severe penalties for whoever violates these regulations.

Combating Coronavirus takes many forms, including largely relying on people’s awareness. Patient visits have been temporarily suspended.

Government institutions, such as the Ministry of Commerce and municipalities are securing foodstuffs, including vegetables, fruits, and meat, while closely monitoring their sufficient availability. A delegate from the Ministry of Commerce conducted several visits to commercial centers and pharmacies in order to ensure the availability and accessibility of medications, sanitizers, and other items.

Precautionary measures included shutting down crowded markets, such as Qatif Mall, and regulating the work of coffeeshops so that no crowds are allowed in front of them, limiting services to instant takeaway. Shisha cafes have also been closed.

Mayyas market, a popular market in Qatif, remained open to customers as usual.

Many of the citizens who were quarantined, whether in the specified hospitals or in the hotels that they were transferred to after being suspected of carrying the virus, spoke of being well treated by the Saudi authorities in the airports and seaports.

Sheikh Hassan al-Saffar highlighted to Asharq Al-Awsat the importance of religious scholars guiding people, commending the procedures followed by the Saudi Ministry of Health to combat the virus.



What to Know About the Flash Floods in Texas That Killed over 100 People

 Firefighters from Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, transport a recovered body on the flooded Guadalupe River days after a flash flood swept through the area, Monday, July 7, 2025, in Ingram, Texas. (AP)
Firefighters from Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, transport a recovered body on the flooded Guadalupe River days after a flash flood swept through the area, Monday, July 7, 2025, in Ingram, Texas. (AP)
TT
20

What to Know About the Flash Floods in Texas That Killed over 100 People

 Firefighters from Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, transport a recovered body on the flooded Guadalupe River days after a flash flood swept through the area, Monday, July 7, 2025, in Ingram, Texas. (AP)
Firefighters from Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, transport a recovered body on the flooded Guadalupe River days after a flash flood swept through the area, Monday, July 7, 2025, in Ingram, Texas. (AP)

Flash floods in Texas killed at least 100 people over the Fourth of July holiday weekend and left others still missing, including girls attending a summer camp. The devastation along the Guadalupe River, outside of San Antonio, has drawn a massive search effort as officials face questions over their preparedness and the speed of their initial actions.

Here's what to know about the deadly flooding, the colossal weather system that drove it in and around Kerr County, Texas, and ongoing efforts to identify victims.

Massive rain hit at just the wrong time, in a flood-prone place

The floods grew to their worst at the midpoint of a long holiday weekend when many people were asleep.

The Texas Hill Country in the central part of the state is naturally prone to flash flooding due to the dry dirt-packed areas where the soil lets rain skid along the surface of the landscape instead of soaking it up. Friday's flash floods started with a particularly bad storm that dropped most of its 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain in the dark early morning hours.

After a flood watch notice midday Thursday, the National Weather Service office issued an urgent warning around 4 a.m. that raised the potential of catastrophic damage and a severe threat to human life. By at least 5:20 a.m., some in the Kerrville City area say water levels were getting alarmingly high. The massive rain flowing down hills sent rushing water into the Guadalupe River, causing it to rise 26 feet (8 meters) in just 45 minutes.

Death toll is expected to rise and the number of missing is uncertain

In Kerr County, home to youth camps in the Texas Hill Country, searchers have found the bodies of 75 people, including 27 children, Sheriff Larry Leitha said Monday morning. Fatalities in nearby counties brought the total number of deaths to 94 as of Monday afternoon.

Ten girls and a counselor were still unaccounted for at Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the river.

For past campers, the tragedy turned happy memories into grief.

Beyond the Camp Mystic campers unaccounted for, the number of missing from other nearby campgrounds and across the region had not been released.

Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday had said that there were 41 people confirmed to be unaccounted for across the state and more could be missing.

Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said during a Monday news conference he couldn't give an estimate of the number of people still missing, only saying “it is a lot.”

Officials face scrutiny over flash flood warnings

Survivors have described the floods as a “pitch black wall of death” and said they received no emergency warnings.

Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, who lives along the Guadalupe River, said Saturday that “nobody saw this coming.” Officials have referred to it as a “100-year-flood,” meaning that the water levels were highly unlikely based on the historical record.

And records behind those statistics don’t always account for human-caused climate change. Though it’s hard to connect specific storms to a warming planet so soon after they occur, meteorologists say that a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture and allow severe storms to dump even more rain.

Additionally, officials have come under scrutiny about why residents and youth summer camps along the river were not alerted sooner than 4 a.m. or told to evacuate.

Rice said Monday that he did not immediately know if there had been any communication between law enforcement and the summer camps between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. on Friday. But Rice said various factors, including spotty cell service in some of the more isolated areas of Kerr County and cell towers that might have gone out of service during the weather, could have hindered communication.

Rice said officials want to finish the search and rescue and then review possible issues with cell towers, radios and emergency alerts.

Officials noted that the public can grow weary from too many flooding alerts or forecasts that turn out to be minor.

Kerr county officials said they had presented a proposal for a more robust flood warning system, similar to a tornado warning system, but that members of the public reeled at the cost.

Monumental clearing and rebuilding effort

The flash floods have erased campgrounds and torn homes from their foundations.

"It’s going to be a long time before we’re ever able to clean it up, much less rebuild it," Kelly said Saturday after surveying the destruction from a helicopter.

Other massive flooding events have driven residents and business owners to give up, including in areas struck last year by Hurricane Helene.

President Donald Trump said he would likely visit the flood zone on Friday.

AP photographers have captured the scale of the destruction, and one of Texas' largest rescue and recovery efforts.