Twenty-two people rescued as bus swept away by flash floods on Jordan desert road

Motorway was closed from both directions

People look for missing people after storms unleashed flash floods near Amman, Jordan, in 2018. Reuters

Twenty-two people were rescued on Tuesday after their bus was swept away by torrential rain in Jordan.

The people were trapped inside the bus on the desert highway, Jordan's Public Security Directorate said.

A report was received about the incident and specialised teams immediately moved to the site and rescued the group, the directorate's spokesman said.

The spokesman added that the road was closed from two directions. He called on the public not to use the road amid unpredictable weather conditions.

Footage posted on Twitter by state TV showed the bus overturning due to floods, while people on the road were shouting for passengers to be rescued.

Last week, heavy rainfall hit the ancient desert city of Petra in Jordan, causing severe flooding in the area.

Water from nearby mountains in Jordan gushed into the iconic rose-red city, which has been standing for 2,000 years.

An estimated 1,700 tourists and locals were ordered to evacuate the area for their safety, the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority said at the time, but no casualties were reported.