RIYADH: Heavy rains lashed parts of Saudi Arabia today, causing havoc in the city and bringing routine life to a standstill.

A video clip that went viral on social media showed tunnels and streets flooded with water, drowned cars, standstill traffic and people struggling to move on with their routines.

The Centre for Crises and Disasters in Makkah Region closed a number of roads in Jeddah on Tuesday due to heavy thunderstorms accompanied by active winds that limited vision, Saudi news site Al Marsad reported.

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The centre listed the names of roads, roundabouts and tunnels to be shut down for traffic until the level of the flood recedes.

It also warned people to strictly avoid going down to the valleys or approaching floodwaters and water pools as a safety precaution.

The education district in Jeddah and Makkah had shut down schools and colleges pending the heavy outpour expected to last until Thursday.

Pictures via Twitter

The National Centre for Security Operations at the Ministry of the Interior said that 10,902 calls were received by “911” operations in Makkah from the beginning of the rain until noon on Tuesday.

The centre said that most of the calls were to enquire about the roads and streets that could be used for traffic.