Saudi Arabia’s Mecca, the holiest of Muslim cities, has been hit by a storm accompanied by rain and strong wind gusts.
A video posted online shows pilgrims who were doing the tawaf – circling the Kaaba – getting soaked and knocked down by strong winds. Another video caught a bolt of lightning striking the famous Fairmont Makkah Clock Royal Tower Hotel.
Other videos shared online show flooded roads in Mecca, forcing citizens to stop their cars and seek shelter.
According to Hussain al-Qahtani, spokesman for the National Center for Meteorology, the wind gusts in the city exceeded 80 km/h (22 m/s).