Saudi Arabia issues danger alert in Mecca, Jeddah and other areas; warning later lifted

Saudi Arabia’s National Early Warning Platform issued precautionary alerts in Mecca and several other areas on Thursday, prompting the Civil Defense to ask residents to move to safe locations and follow official instructions.

The General Directorate of Civil Defense later announced that the danger had passed in Mecca City, Tabuk Province, Jeddah Governate and Yanbu Governate.

Warning issued across several areas

The Civil Defense said the National Early Warning Platform had issued a warning in Mecca City over a "potential danger". The authority posted the alert on X and issued safety instructions for residents.

The warning was also associated with alerts covering Tabuk Province, Jeddah Governate and Yanbu Governate, before authorities subsequently confirmed that the danger had passed in all four areas.

Saudi Arabia has recently issued several temporary early warnings through the platform. In recent cases, including alerts in Riyadh and Al-Kharj, authorities lifted the warnings after the potential danger had passed.

What residents were told to do

People receiving the alerts were urged to remain calm and follow instructions issued by the authorities. They were told to immediately move to the nearest safe place, such as inside a building or an interior room away from windows, and remain there until the danger had passed.

Residents were advised not to leave their homes or buildings while the warning remained in force. They were also told to stay away from open areas, windows, glass, balconies and rooftops, and to avoid crowds or dangerous locations.

Those who were outdoors were instructed to enter the nearest building or shelter behind a solid barrier.

People who received the warning while driving were told to pull over to the side of the road, away from bridges and high-rise buildings. The Civil Defense also advised residents not to take photographs or approach dangerous locations.

Emergency numbers and latest weather context

According to Civil Defense guidance, anyone who notices a danger should contact 911 in Mecca, Medina, Riyadh and the Eastern Province, while 998 remains the emergency number in other parts of the kingdom.

Authorities also urged residents to follow instructions communicated through official channels.

The alerts come as Saudi Arabia is experiencing a period of unsettled weather. The National Center for Meteorology said on Thursday that varying-intensity rainfall was expected across parts of the kingdom through Sunday. In the Makkah region, moderate to heavy rain was forecast in Taif, Maysan, Adham and Al-Ardiyat, while Mecca was expected to receive light to moderate rain. The forecast also warned that heavy rain in affected areas could be accompanied by strong downdraft winds, hail, flash floods and reduced visibility.

The Civil Defense had similarly urged people earlier this week to remain in safe places and avoid flood-prone areas as thunderstorms were forecast across several regions, including Makkah.