3,500 tourists secured after 'unprecedented' flash floods

Jordan

Published: 2018-11-09 17:25

Last Updated: 2024-03-28 10:14


3,500 tourists secured after 'unprecedented' flash floods
3,500 tourists secured after 'unprecedented' flash floods

Petra Directorate witnessed heavy rainfall on Friday evening, causing floods in several areas, without any casualties.

Cadres of the Petra Directorate managed to secure 3,500 tourists from the ‘unprecedented’ flash floods that raided Wadi Musa, on November 9, 2018, according to Petra District Director, Sultan Al Madi.

Madi added that the flash floods were unprecedented, and that maximum state of emergency was announced.

He pointed to the closure of the Wadi Musa road due to blockage caused by rocks and mud slides.

Madi confirmed that there were no injuries among citizens and tourists in the Petra area.

 

In turn, head of the Petra Region Authority, Suleiman Farajat, told Roya that authority cadres are stationed about 15 km from the entrances and valleys of Wadi Musa, adding that the early warning system was launched and none of the tourists were harmed.

The sale of tickets was stopped at 12 pm, which led to the reduction of tourists inside the city and therefore no one was hurt as the authority cadres secured the tourists inside Petra city, until the storm ended.

 

Ma'an Governor, Ahmad Al Amoush, told Jordan News Agency (Petra) that the floods raided a number of areas after heavy rainfall, and added that some roads have raided by floods.

He added that the Petra Commission is working to evacuate tourists from inside Petra and transfer them to hotels according to the emergency plan, stressing that the operating rooms and the concerned authorities are following up on the situation.

 

For his part, the Director of the Civil Defense of Ma'an Governorate, Salem Al Sarayrah, said that the weather conditions in Ma'an and Petra Governorates are very normal after the rains have stopped, pointing out that any emergency caused by rain storms is being dealt with.

He added that the floods in Petra are within their natural conditions and that the cadres of the Petra Commission are currently working on counting tourists and evacuating them to their hotels, adding that the areas that have been exposed to the floods are: Wadi Musa and other areas, adding that the Desert Highway is open , under normal traffic conditions and with no reported accidents so far.

 

Petra Development & Tourism Region Authority called on citizens to exercise caution and not to approach water and flood areas.

Emergency numbers:

Main Petra Services Directorate (032155096) (0799724823),

Southern Region (032150012) (0799031999) ,

Petra Archeological Park (0772261830).