Flashfloods in Jordan leave at least 21 dead
At least 21 people have been killed by flashfloods -and at least 35 others injured- in Jordan's Dead Sea region, local officials said Friday. Most of those killed were students and teachers whose bus was swept away by the floods during a school trip, Jordan's Civil-Defense Directorate said in a statement. Speaking to reporters, Civil Defense Operations Director Farid al-Sharaa said the students and teachers -along with a number of tourists- had been visiting hot springs in the area.According to the Directorate, a bridge has collapsed due to the flooding while a major road in the area has been closed by the authorities.Jordanian rescue teams, meanwhile, are continuing the search for survivors. Following the incident, Jordan's King Abdullah II canceled a scheduled visit to Bahrain and declared three days of mourning. On Thursday, several areas of the Hashemite Kingdom were hit by flashfloods following a bout of torrential rainfall.