By P A Hameed Padubidri - Daijiworld News Network - Saudi Arabia
Pics Riaz Omar Mulki

Riyadh, Nov 19: 'Matt'ar' (Rain), is described by a Saudi poet thus:

"Rain………Rain……Rain…
You are the mercy of the Almighty.
The shrunken earth gets green
That mesmerized my eyes
With full of joys…"

If the first drizzle in Riyadh city on Saturday brought about cheer and gaiety among the locals in the city and the soil got its soft kiss of rain on one hand, a string of accidents in various areas like Qurais Road, King Fahad Road, International Air Port Road, Sulaimaniya Oruba street etc. caused sheer distress for many on the other hand.

Most main roads were blocked, the brunt of which had to be borne by employees of various companies and establishments.

When Daijiworld correspondent met Mangaloreans in Riyadh, they complained that they could not reach office on time as a result of the surprise rain and the resultant road accidents.

Ummer Farooq, a senior resident and employee in Ericsson Company in Riyadh, Yasser Mulky, sales manager in Sign & Design in Riyadh, Iqbal Ibrahim Uchila, Arshad M. Hussain, employee of Guardian Co., were among those who had the same experience in the city.

A photograph of one such accident speaks volumes. Here four cars collided creating a pile-up in Sulaimaniya area, Oruba Street, causing heavy losses. The police officials in the jurisdiction rushed to the spot and cleared the road after a short while.