Classes at Egypt’s schools and universities have been suspended for two days as the usually dry nation was lashed by heavy rain and strong winds on Wednesday.
Authorities in Cairo are urging residents to stay at home and venture out only if necessary. The aim is to allow municipal workers to attend to emergencies without obstruction, local government spokesman Ibrahim Awad said.
Cairo, a sprawling, Nile-side metropolis of 25 million inhabitants, was rocked by thunder early on Wednesday. Heavy rain drenched the city, creating massive puddles, as temperature dropped.
The volume of heavy traffic for which Cairo is notorious dwindled as millions of schoolchildren and university students stayed at home. Classes will resume on Sunday after the Friday-Saturday weekend.
The Interior Ministry, in charge of police and security, said four-wheel drive and rescue trucks have been deployed in cities across the country ready to intervene when vehicles break down or become stuck.
Temperatures have fallen, with a low of 11°C forecast for the Cairo region. The average low for this time of year is 13°C to 15°C.
The Egyptian Meteorological Authority said the wet and colder-than-usual spell would continue into Thursday, with more thunder and heavy rain hitting its northern region on the Mediterranean and spreading inland into the Nile Delta and Cairo.
“We urge citizens to exercise caution, avoid open spaces and drive carefully because of poor visibility,” the weather bureau said.
In Luxor, home to ancient Egyptian temples and tombs visited by millions of foreign tourists every year, balloon flights have been suspended.
The state-owned railway authority said its trains were running behind schedule because drivers had been instructed to reduce their speed as a precaution.
Rain and low temperatures are uncommon in Egypt, one of the world's driest countries, which depends on the Nile for nearly all its freshwater needs. It has in recent years embarked on ambitious plans to recycle water and build desalination plans for communities far from the river valley and tourist destinations on the Red Sea.
