Riyadh - (AFP) Heavy rains hit the Saudi city of Jeddah on Thursday, leading to the suspension of schools, flight delays and the closure of the road to Mecca, Saudi media reported.

And the emirate of Makkah Al-Mukarramah region announced the closure of the (Makkah-Jeddah) highway, as a precaution, due to the rain.

Pictures posted on social media on Thursday showed that traffic in Jeddah was affected by the heavy rains.

And King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah announced on its Twitter account, "Due to weather conditions, some flights have been delayed," calling on travelers to contact airlines to confirm new flight times.

And the Saudi Press Agency stated at dawn on Thursday, "In order to preserve the safety of male and female students, it was decided to suspend studies in all schools in Jeddah, Rabigh and Khulais."

End-of-semester exams have begun in Saudi Arabia. Schools were closed on Wednesday after a royal decision to give a day off for the private and public sectors and for students, on the occasion of the Kingdom's football team's victory over its Argentine counterpart in the World Cup in Qatar.

Large floods killed 123 people in Jeddah in 2009, and about ten people two years later.