Saudi Arabia: Heavy rain in Tabuk, positive child development stats

Rainfall was recorded across several Saudi regions over the past 24 hours, with Tabuk registering the highest amount at 66.8 millimetres in Jabal Al-Lawz, according to the National Center for Meteorology (NCM). The figures cover the period from 9 a.m. Tuesday to 9 a.m. Wednesday. Turaif Airport in the Northern Borders Region came second with 30mm. Other notable totals in Tabuk Region included 10.6mm in Amlaj, 6.4mm in Haql, 5.6mm at Al-Juhani station and 3.6mm at Red Sea Airport. Al-Jouf Region saw 5.6mm in Qurayyat, while Madinah and Asir recorded smaller amounts. The NCM, which tracks rainfall through its network of monitoring stations, published the totals as part of its routine weather reporting.

In a separate report, the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) said 85.3 per cent of children aged 24 to 59 months in Saudi Arabia are developmentally on track in health, learning and psychosocial well-being. The rate was slightly higher among girls at 86.2 per cent compared with 84.4 per cent for boys. The Early Childhood Development and Child Well-Being Statistics 2026 report also found that 89.6 per cent of children aged 36 to 59 months live in a positive and learning-stimulating home environment, defined as engagement in activities such as reading, storytelling, singing and playing. Additionally, 74.8 per cent of five-year-olds participated in organised learning one year before primary school, and 72.9 per cent of children under five had played with at least two types of toys in the previous three days. However, 56 per cent of children under five have no children's books at home, according to the data. GASTAT's estimates are based on caregiver-reported data from the Women and Child Health Survey 2026, while education enrollment figures came from Ministry of Education records.