Kaaba in ruins! Storm in Makkah! The wind blows people off their feet! Saudi Arabia is closing down!

Authorities in Mecca ordered schools closed on Wednesday after torrential rain lashed parts of Saudi Arabia, with videos posted on social media showing pilgrims taking shelter from a severe thunderstorm at night. “Heavy rain fell on Tuesday night, accompanied by thunderstorms, in parts of Mecca’s Al-Mukarrama neighborhoods,“ the Saudi Press Agency reported. Education officials said schools would be closed on Wednesday due to the unstable weather . The National Meteorology Center said it expects “moderate to severe thunderstorms to continue, bringing heavy rain accompanied by downpours with hail and strong winds that kick up dust and sand, limiting horizontal visibility in parts of Jazan, Asir, Al-Baha, Makkah and Medina regions.“ Videos posted on social media show pilgrims struggling to get around the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque amid strong winds, with some having to dodge separation barriers that have been blown around by the wind. One widely circulated video captured a lightning strike on the famous clock tower overlooking the Kaaba. Pilgrims and residents of Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca were scrambling for shelter when inclement weather hit the region on Tuesday night, with strong winds nearly blowing them away. A red alert level was declared in the province and some parts of the Kingdom as unstable weather conditions are expected to continue today, according to an advisory issued by the country’s National Center for Meteorology (NCM) on Wednesday morning. Saudi authorities have been working to alleviate the impact of the flooding, with emergency crews dispatched to affected areas to provide assistance. However, the scale of the damage is significant, with cars and other vehicles swept away in the deluge. In response, the Saudi government has invested in measures to improve the country’s resilience to climate change, including the creation of a national center for environmental and meteorological information. In recent days, Mecca, one of the holiest cities in Saudi Arabia, has been hit by severe flooding. Heavy rainfall has caused streets and buildings to be submerged, leaving many residents and visitors stranded. The flooding has been particularly challenging for those on pilgrimage to Mecca, as the city is currently experiencing the holy month of Ramadan. Pilgrims have been forced to wade through waist-deep water to reach the Grand Mosque, which is the focal point of their religious journey. The flooding has also disrupted travel to and from Mecca, a major pilgrimage site for Muslims. The Grand Mosque, which surrounds the Kaaba - the holiest site in Islam - has also been affected, with some parts of the courtyard inundated with water. The Saudi Arabian government has assured pilgrims that measures have been taken to ensure their safety and that the situation is under control. Torrential rains had besieged the region, overwhelming the drainage systems and leading to flooding in various parts of Mecca. However, the sight of floodwaters surrounding the Kaaba itself left many onlookers speechless. It was an unprecedented event, as the Kaaba had rarely faced such a threat throughout its storied history.