Saudi villages evacuated after dam collapse

Several villages in Saudi Arabia were evacuated Wednesday after a dam partially collapsed due to heavy rains, Xinhua reported.

Heavy rains since last Thursday have left 16 people dead, including a five-year-old boy.

On Wednesday, the Saudi civil defence confirmed that the Saudi government evacuated several villages in Tabalah city, 689 km from capital Riyadh, as a precaution.

The civil defence and other government departments have been on alert since Thursday, advising the public to follow instructions and stay indoors if possible.