Um Al-Khayr Dam burst because of washed-away vehicles: Official
By ARAB NEWS
JEDDAH: A Jeddah Municipal Council official has said the reason the Um Al-Khayr burst dam on Jan. 26 was because the overflow outlet had been blocked by cars washed into it by flash flooding resulting from the huge downpour. This had caused waters to rise to dangerous levels. The burst dam caused massive flooding and extensive damage throughout the city.
Bassam Akhdar, a council member, displayed a film showing the vehicles that sealed the drainage outlet. He said the barrier had not been renovated over the past 40 years.
He demanded a permanent solution to drain floodwaters adding that the temporary steps taken in the Um Al-Khyar neighborhood were insufficient.
Meanwhile on Thursday, members of the subcommittee for housing, water and general services of the Shoura Council stressed the need to review the location of current and future housing in the Kingdom in order to ensure that they were not in places threatened by flash floods.
Council chairman Muhammad Al-Quwaihis also called for temporary solutions until permanent projects were in place to keep cities safe from floods.The comments came while the subcommittee reviewed the 2009-10 annual report from the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs.
Syed Abdul Qadeer Jaffery
Cost Control Dept.
P O Box 9887 Jeddah 21423
Saudi Arabia
Phone: +966 2 6400 004 Extn 5440
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