According to estimates, about 1,700 tourists had to evacuate the world heritage site in Petra, Jordan | Floodwaters from nearby mountains flowed into the historic Rock City A river of water poured into the Petra Gorge as the terrified tourists fled
The ancient rock city of Petra in Jordan was flooded after torrential rain flooded the archaeological site, forcing the evacuation of 1700 tourists. Water from nearby mountains in Jordan flowed into the city which has been standing for 2,000 years.
An estimated 1,700 tourists and locals have been ordered to evacuate the area for their safety, after 13 tourists were killed in similar flooding at the site in 2018. In footage from Jordan’s most visited tourist attraction, a river of water is seen pouring into the Petra Gorge as panicked tourists flee.
The Petra Development and Tourism Authority said: “The Jordanian government has evacuated about 1,700 tourists in Petra due to the heavy rains.” Near Petra, three people were injured in the floods after a minibus was swept away by the currents of the stream. So far more than one and a half million tourists have visited Petra this year.
In 2018, floods killed 13 tourists, forcing authorities to evacuate 4,000 people. The previous fatal flood to hit Petra was in 1963, when 22 French tourists and a local guide were killed by the water.