Torrential rains kill 48 in Saudi Arabia

MECCA, Saudi Arabia, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- Heavy rains sweeping across Saudi Arabia during the pilgrimage to Mecca left 48 people dead, it was reported Thursday.

Rains lashed Jeddah and the adjacent holy places of Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat. Traffic was reported clogged in Jeddah, 50 miles west of Mecca, and officials reported the sewage system was severely affected, RIA Novosti said.

Meanwhile, the number of foreign pilgrims gathering for Thursday's hajj in Mecca exceeded 1.6 million, Prince Naif, Saudi Arabia's second deputy prime minister, said in a telegram to Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz.

Saudi news agency SPA said the number of foreign pilgrims representing 183 nationalities, was down 7 percent from 2008.