India asks its nationals in Saudi Arabia to follow safety directives amid security concerns
Photo: newsonair.gov.in
Dubai (PTI): The Indian Embassy in Riyadh on Sunday asked its nationals to take note of and follow updated directives issued by Saudi authorities for people receiving emergency warnings through the National Early Warning Platform for Emergencies amid heightened security concerns following strikes by Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
The instructions – which were shared through social media platforms – ask people to remain calm, follow official directions and immediately move to the nearest safe place inside a building, preferably an interior room away from windows, until the danger has passed.
People have been advised not to leave their homes or buildings until the danger has passed, stay away from open areas, windows and glass, and avoid standing on balconies or rooftops.
Those outdoors have been asked to enter the nearest building or take shelter behind a solid barrier.
The instructions also advise people to avoid crowds and dangerous areas and refrain from taking photographs.
People who receive an alert while driving have been advised to pull over to the side of the road, away from bridges and high-rise buildings.
The instructions say people can call emergency number 911 in the regions of Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh and the Eastern Province in case of any threat or danger, and 998 in the rest of Saudi Arabia.
People have also been asked to follow instructions issued by the competent authorities through official channels.
The directives come amid heightened security concerns following drone and missile attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels on Saudi Arabia, including a deadly strike on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on October 10.
The attack killed an Indian national and injured several others, prompting the Indian Embassy to reiterate its safety advisory.
The Embassy's latest advisory follows an earlier appeal to Indian nationals – issued immediately after the October 10 strike – to follow local authorities' instructions, stay indoors in the event of an aerial attack and refrain from filming, publishing or sharing information, photographs or videos related to the ongoing events.