Namas in southern Saudi experiences magnitude 4 earthquake with no fatalities

Updated 05 November 2017
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Namas in southern Saudi experiences magnitude 4 earthquake with no fatalities

AL-NAMAS: Residents in the south of Saudi Arabia, in particular Al-Namas, Bisha and the surrounding villages, woke up on Friday dawn to an earthquake with a magnitude 4 on the Richter scale, followed by six 1.1 to 1.7 aftershocks, that were not felt by residents.

Hani Zahran, director general of the National Center for Earthquakes and Volcanoes at the Saudi Geological Survey told Al-Hayat: “The seismic activity happened in a three-rift region, where the activity occurs in separate periods.”

Zahran expected that a little seismic activity will continue for several days, saying that it is a normal activity since three faults meet in the region.

He added that the center monitored the magnitude 4 quake at 4:06:52 a.m. Friday, at 16 kilometers away from the northwest of Al-Namas.

In 2017, several earthquakes hit the Kingdom and the last earthquake before this one was a magnitude 3 quake that hit the Red Sea near Jeddah and was not felt by Al-Madinah residents. Non-significant quakes were also monitored in Umlaj, Haql and Yanbu during the past few months, he added.


Hajj Ministry suspends Umrah firm, overseas agent for violations

Updated 29 December 2025
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Hajj Ministry suspends Umrah firm, overseas agent for violations

  • Company fails to provide housing for Umrah pilgrims
  • Actions to ‘safeguard’ rights of visitors, says ministry

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah on Sunday announced the suspension of an Umrah company and its overseas agent for failing to provide contracted accommodation for pilgrims.

In a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency, the ministry said the company violated regulations governing services for Umrah pilgrims and visitors to the two holy mosques.

It noted that several pilgrims arrived in the Kingdom without mandated accommodation. This prompted immediate action against the company and its overseas agent, the ministry stated.

Pilgrims circumambulate the Holy Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Makkah in this photo taken earlier this month. (SPA)

“The measures are intended to safeguard the rights of affected pilgrims, prevent a recurrence of such violations, and ensure the continued enhancement of service quality,” it added.

Last June, the ministry suspended seven Umrah companies due to deficiencies in providing transport services for pilgrims.

In an earlier report quoting the Hajj Ministry and the General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, the SPA said more than 1.7 million Muslims from all over the world arrived in the Kingdom to perform Umrah during the month of Jumada Al-Akhirah, corresponding to Nov. 22 to Dec. 20.