The Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Jeddah has issued an emergency advisory urging Sri Lankan citizens in the western region of Saudi Arabia to remain alert amid what it called an “emerging situation” in the region, the Daily Mirror reported on Tuesday evening.
What the consulate is telling people to do
Citizens were told to follow emergency warnings sent to mobile phones through Saudi Arabia’s National Warning Alert system and to move indoors immediately, away from windows. Anyone outdoors should enter the nearest safe building or take cover behind a solid wall, avoiding open areas, glass, balconies and rooftops. Drivers were advised to pull over and stay clear of bridges and high-rise buildings.
The consulate also warned citizens not to photograph, film or record incidents, reminding them that Saudi law restricts the sharing of such material — an unusually specific instruction for a consular notice. It asked people not to panic or circulate unconfirmed information, and to rely only on official announcements.
Emergency numbers given were 911 for the Makkah and Madinah regions and 998 elsewhere in the kingdom. The consulate’s own emergency line is 056 098 6671, which it said should be used only for genuine emergencies and not for routine consular or labour matters.
What the advisory does not say
The notice gives no cause. On the same day, Al Jazeera reported that Houthi missile and drone attacks had wounded 13 civilians across three Saudi cities — Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif — damaging seven homes and two vehicles. Of those three, only Taif lies in the western region the consulate named; it sits roughly 90km from Makkah. A Saudi-led coalition spokesperson said the attacks would be dealt with “responsibly and firmly to protect the sovereignty of the kingdom.”
Neither the consulate nor the Foreign Ministry has linked the advisory to those attacks, and LankaNewz cannot confirm a connection. Taif is the furthest west any Saudi city has been reported struck in the current escalation, which until now has concentrated on the south-western border belt around Jazan, Najran and Khamis Mushait and on energy infrastructure.
Saudi Arabia hosts one of the largest populations of Sri Lankan migrant workers, heavily concentrated in Jeddah, Makkah and Riyadh. No Sri Lankan casualties have been reported.
