The death toll from floods that tore through the port city of Jeddah this week has risen to 103, with another 1,400 rescued, according to the state news agency.
This was one of the strongest rains that lashed the western city of Jeddah right in the middle of the pilgrimage season, or hajj, when millions of Muslims from around the world arrive in the city on their way to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Jeddah is the main entry point to the kingdom for pilgrims.
Authorities said none of the dead were on the hajj. Many were local people who died in car crashes and collapsing bridges.
The deaths have been blamed on poor construction of houses and infrastructure like bridges, and residents of the city say the government had been made aware of allegations that they were of poor construction.
More than 11,000 names have been added to a page, on the social networking site Facebook, set up to complain about the government’s handling of the floods, in the absence of other legal venues for protest.
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