At least 20 people, most of them schoolchildren, were killed in flash floods in Jordan, the emergency services said Friday (October 26th), as strong storms continued to wreak havoc in the region.
Another 35 people were injured following heavy rains on Thursday, including members of the security forces involved in rescue operations, a civil defence official said, updating earlier tolls.
Rescuers were still searching for eight people missing in the Dead Sea area, AFP reported.
According to a security source, most of the dead were schoolchildren aged 11 to 14 taking part in a school trip to the Dead Sea region.
The floodwaters had carried away schoolchildren into the sea after they had descended from the bus.
Also among the dead were passers-by who had been picnicking in the area, the civil defence said, adding that a nearby bridge had collapsed.
King Abdullah II cancelled a planned visit to Bahrain to monitor developments.
A medical source told AFP three Iraqi students were among the dead.
Education Minister Azmi Mahafzah promised a "full inquiry" into the incident.
Roads leading to the area were closed on Friday morning "to allow search and rescue operations", the Directorate of General Security said.
Meanwhile, a powerful thunderstorm carrying hail and strong winds on Thursday wreaked havoc across Lebanon, Naharnet reported.
The storm, which subsided by Friday afternoon, damaged cars, shops and apartments in Beirut and its suburbs.
In Egypt, meteorologists predicted continuing unstable weather conditions on Friday, after strong winds hit several areas on Thursday, Ahram Online reported.
A number of sea ports in Suez and South Sinai were closed Thursday due to weather conditions, including strong winds and high waves, the Red Sea Ports Authority said.
The Alexandria and Dekheila ports were closed Thursday to avoid ship collisions due to the bad weather, the Alexandria Port Authority said.
