RIYADH — The Civil Defense teams have rescued around 700 people from flooding and torrential rains that hit several regions of the Kingdom. The media center of the General Directorate of Civil Defense said in a statement that eight committees were formed in a number of affected areas to assess the damages and losses caused by torrential rain and flooding, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The command and guidance centers in the Civil Defense directorates carried out rescue operations caused by heavy rain and flash flood in the regions of Makkah, Madinah, Asir, Jizan and Al-Baha. During the period between July 26 and Aug. 4, the rescue teams managed to save more than 698 people and evacuated 77 people and 11 families. A total of 633 people and three families have been given shelter. Asir region was the hardest hit in the number of rescue cases, while the least was Madinah with one rescue case. The center called on citizens and expatriates in regions experiencing rain to take precaution and not to go out for picnicking in valleys and flood passages; not to swim in water swamps formed due to rain and torrents, and to abide by civil defense instructions to ensure the safety of all.