Severe storms on Wednesday led to the closure of schools in Saudi Arabia's Mecca region, where the Grand Mosque, Islam's holiest site, experienced heavy rain and strong winds overnight, as reported by witnesses.
While pilgrims attempted to encircle the Kaaba, the enormous black cube that holds significance for all Muslims, a bolt of lightning struck the renowned Fairmont Makkah Clock Royal Tower hotel, casting a bright light across the night sky on Tuesday.
According to Hussein al-Qahtani, the spokesperson for the National Centre for Meteorology, the storm brought gale force winds that exceeded speeds of 80 kilometers (50 miles) per hour.
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