At least eight people have been killed in western Saudi Arabia as relentless rainfall flooded streets near the Islamic holy city of Medina.

Three of those killed by the flooding were children, the Khaleej Times reported. Schools in Jeddah were closed from Tuesday through Thursday, the report added.

Several of the deaths were attributed to drowning, but two people were electrocuted in Jeddah, the Khaleej Times said.

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Residents were urged to stay inside in the days following the heavy rains, but in Jeddah, flooding is a sensitive topic, Reuters reported. Residents have expressed anger over the handling of past flooding events because they don't feel the government has done enough for flood prevention in the area, the report added.

GulfNews.com reports Saudi King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud has ordered an investigation into the flood-related car accidents that occurred across western parts of the country. Initial findings suggest a power outage temporarily prevented the pumping systems from removing water from the roads in some areas.

Prince Khalid Al Faisal, the governor of Makkah, met with King Salman and defended the region's flood defenses, GulfNews.com also reported.

"If rains fell on any other city, there would be similar problems," the prince told GulfNews.com. "Wadi waters did not enter Jeddah because the systems that were put in place worked accordingly to prevent threats."

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