Hail the size of rocks lash Saudi city!

• Seven people have died due to the hail.

Seven people have died and 11 have been injured due to the hail in Hafr Al Baten city in Saudi Arabia.

Al Riyadh newspaper reported that authorities received more than 1,176 calls and reports in only two days. They were alerted of four people being stuck, 16 people evacuated from their houses, and over 40 vehicles and three houses damaged .

Pictures on social media show the chunks of hail were the size of a hand.

Lieutenant Colonel Abdul Hadi bin Ali Al-Shahrani, Spokesman of the Directorate of Civil Defense in the Eastern region, said that all reports came after the General Authority of Meteorology and Environment Protection warned of heavy rain with hail in the area. They also warned motorists that the weather could affect traffic flow.

Al-Shahrani said that safety precautions must be followed during such bad weather conditions, stressing that the public must avoid all dangerous areas for their safety. He also urged the public to monitor official media sources to get accurate information.