Biggest deluge in decades closes ancient city of Petra, Jordan after Dead Sea flooding killed 21 Jordanians two weeks ago

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At least 12 people were killed in the ancient city of Petra, Jordan after torrential rains triggered insane flash flooding on November 9, 2018, resulting in the evacuation of thousands of people. Petra is now closed to visits for cleanup after ‘biggest deluge in the area in decades.’ It will likely reopen on November 11, 2018.

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Ancient city of Petra hit by insane flash floods killing at least 12 in Jordan. via Video

Jumana Ghunaimat, Minister of State for Media Affairs and government spokesperson, said that the security departments are coordinating the rescue operations in more than one area which had heavy rainfall, noting that 3,762 tourists were evacuated in the city of Petra in southern Jordan.

The southern part of Jordan witnessed flash floods due to torrential rain, especially in the areas of Maan, Wadi Musa, Petra tourist city, and the provinces of Madaba and al-Balqa.

Heavy rain began around 13:00, November 9 and lasted 40 minutes. At about 15:00, a torrent of water engulfed the site’s steep and narrow access canyon, flooding the area within minutes. In some areas, floodwaters rose up to 4 m (13 feet).

The Minister of the Interior, the Minister of State for Public Information, the Government’s spokesperson and other senior officials gathered at the National Center for Security and Crisis Management to monitor the situation.

The Jordanian civil defense rescued a young girl and recovered the body of her sister after heavy flash floods swept their father’s vehicle in the Malih area of the governorate of Madaba, while 11 others were injured in different areas of the country.

A spokesman for the Civil Defense Iyad al-Amro, told Al Arabiya that members of the Civil Defense were searching for three other missing members of the surviving child’s family.

On October, 25, at least 18 people, mainly schoolchildren and teachers, were killed in a flash flood near Jordan’s Dead Sea that happened while they were on an outing, rescuers and hospital workers said.

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Al Arabiya – Flash floods in Jordan kill nine people

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