ABU DHABI 27 October 2018: UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan yesterday sent a cable of condolences to King Abdullah II of Jordan on the victims of the flash floods that hit the Dead Sea region yesterday.
President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa expressed his sincere sympathies to King Abdullah, supplicating to Allah the Almighty to rest the victims’ souls in peace, and to grant their families with patience, wishing a speedy recovery to the injured.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, sent similar cables to King Abdullah.
Thirty-seven middle school students, seven teachers and several others were visiting hot springs near the Dead Sea when flash flooding swept through the region on Thursday afternoon, said Accuweather, quoting AP.
At least 21 people have died and at least 35 others injured. An unknown amount of people are missing.
“[The floodwaters] swept away the students for 4 to 5 kilometers [2-3 miles],” Brig. Gen. Farid Al Sharaa said via AP.
Thirteen people escaped the flooding without injuries, with some holding on to rocks to survive.