Saudi Civil Defense warns of strong winds and dust affecting Riyadh province
RIYADH: The General Directorate of Civil Defense in Riyadh called for caution Friday after an advanced alert from the General Authority of Meteorology and Environmental Protection warned that some governorates in Riyadh Province including Al-Kharj, Shaqra and Al-Majma’ah will experience strong winds and dust that will cause low visibility.
The media spokesman for Civil Defense in Riyadh Maj. Mohammed Al-Hammadi urged all asthma patients and those with breathing problems in general to follow the appropriate medical instructions and avoid travelling on roads that are affected by severe sand storms as much as possible.
Earlier, sandstorms hit several cities in Saudi Arabia on Thursday and disrupted road and air transport across the Kingdom.
The early warning center of the national Saudi Meteorology and Protection of the Environment agency issued a nationwide warning stating that unstable weather will affect many areas on Thursday and Friday.
The agency said the capital Riyadh will also get its share of the sandstorm and it is expected to continue until midday on Friday.
The sand and poor visibility resulted in several accidents in Saudi Arabia’s second city Jeddah.
Makkah also suffered as a result of the storm. Maritime traffic was suspended in and out of Jeddah’s port due to poor visibility.
King Abdul Aziz airport authorities announced that smooth operations continued at the airport despite the storm.
Earlier, the sandstorms led to temporary closure of 6 airports in northern Saudi Arabia due to strong wind mixed with dust.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Two dead, three hospitalised as BMW hits rickshaw in Noida
Noida, May 16: A speeding BMW rammed into an e-rickshaw here on Thursday morning, leaving two people dead, police said.
Three others who were on board the rickshaw have been hospitalised with injuries, the police said.
Two occupants of the erring luxury car have been taken into custody by the local police while their third partner is at large, the police said.
"Around 6 am, the e-rickshaw was on its way from the City Centre towards 12-22 Chowk. Five people, including the driver, were on board the e-rickshaw," a police spokesperson said.
"When the e-rickshaw was near Sumitra Hospital, a speeding BMW hit the e- rickshaw from behind, leaving two people dead and three others injured," the spokesperson said.
Those dead in the incident were identified by the police as Mohammad Mustafa, 50, and Rashmi, 25, who worked as a staff nurse at the Metro Hospital here.
The police identified those injured as e-rickshaw driver Rajendra, 45, Pawan, 27, and Surajpur, 20.
According to the spokesperson, two persons -- Tushar Kumar and Adi Batra, both residents of Sector 41 -- who were in the BMW at the time of the crash have been taken into custody by officials of the local Sector 24 police station.
Aman Sisodia, the third person accompanying them in the car, fled the spot after the crash. He also lives in Sector 41, the official added.
