2019 Hajj: Saudi Arabia advises pilgrims on rain forecast

The Saudi Civil Defense has urged all pilgrims to stay safe, cautious and avoid low grounds after the Meteorological Centre’s warning about a possible downpour in Makkah and its environs. In a message to all pilgrims, the civil defense advised people to stay away from metals connected to electrical current. The advice is necessary because […]

The Saudi Civil Defense has urged all pilgrims to stay safe, cautious and avoid low grounds after the Meteorological Centre’s warning about a possible downpour in Makkah and its environs.

In a message to all pilgrims, the civil defense advised people to stay away from metals connected to electrical current.

The advice is necessary because Saudi Arabia has the history of flooding due to inadequate drainage system whenever there was a heavy downpour in Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah and their environs.

Meanwhile, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has advised pilgrims to avoid aimlessly loitering and wandering about on the rocky plains of Mina.

The Commissioner in charge of health matters of the Commission, Dr Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, who gave the advice in an interview, said the Saudi health officials called him to find out whether Saturday’s rain on the plains of Arafaat affected any Nigerian pilgrim,

Dr Kana warned the pilgrims to realise that Mina is in a low ground, and without adequate drainage system which, if flooding occurs, could be disastrous.

He called on the pilgrims to stay in secured places within their tents when signs of rain appear to avoid any unpleasant consequences.

It would be recalled that pilgrims had become victims of such heavy rain that happened in the late nineties on the rocky plains of Mina.

About 65,000 Nigerian pilgrims are among over two million guests of Allah performing Hajj in Saudi Arabia.