29/11/2020
29/11/2020
Panel formed to probe ‘water pools’ in many areas
KUWAIT CITY, Nov 29, (Agencies): Minister of Public Works and the Minister of State for Housing Dr Rana Al-Fares, formed on Sunday a neutral and emergency legal and technical fact-finding committee to investigate the causes of water accumulations in some areas due to recent heavy rains in various parts of the country.
In a press release, Minister Al- Fares said that the main objective for committee is to identify deficiencies in rain drainage network and submit its report and recommendations within a week of its date regarding the legal, technical and administrative procedures that must be followed in this regard.
The minister stressed that her ministry will not be negligent in taking the necessary legal measures against any party or company whose negligence is proven, as it will be referred to the regulatory and legal authorities according to what the committee will conclude. She added that in light of the weather conditions and the thunderstorm that the country recently experienced, accompanied by rain, the concerned teams were able to deal with all the reports received on the main and highways and regions in the various governorates that witnessed rain gathering.
Al-Fares confirmed that unstable weather is still taking place and there are expectations of another wave of heavy rains, which requires the cooperation of all in this regard. Meanwhile, Kuwait Fire Service Directorate (KFSD) said, on Sunday, that their rescue teams were able to save 83 persons trapped in their vehicles due to the current unstable weather and heavy rains, adding most of them from Al-Jahra governorate. The Public Relations and Information Department said in a statement that they received calls during recent rains exceeded 170, most in desert areas. KFSD dealt with all calls received, as no injuries reported, calling on citizens and residents to follow safety instructions for their safety.
Various regions of the Kuwait witnessed heavy rain and the formation of mini ponds in some open places, especially in the north and south of the country and a number of cars remained half submerged in water in spite of the official authorities announcing they were fully prepared for the rainy season, says Al-Seyassah report. Rain water collected in several areas of Kuwait and the streets were flooded particularly the Sixth Ring Road, Al Jahra Road opposite Doha and Al Jahra Industrial Area and some areas in Taima, Saad Al Abdullah, Al Oyoun and Al Naseem.
While the Ministry of Interior and the Directorate-General of Fire Department (DGFD) had raised their level to full readiness to deal with any reports received by their respective operations rooms, security sources reported the Ministry of Interior operations room had received 130 reports about the breakdown of vehicles most of which were submerged in water, most of them in Jahra. For its part, the Public Fire Brigade called on citizens and residents to be vigilant and cautious about the instability of the weather situation in the country.
The DGFD affirmed that all the fire centers had raised their level of readiness to deal with any reports related to the weather situation, and called on the people to call the emergency No 112 to report emergency and humanitarian cases. For its part, informed sources in the Ministry of Public Works said the emergency teams of the Ministry and Public Authority for Roads Transport in the six governorates have been present in all locations with their mechanisms since the first hours of the rain, indicating that the ministry is in constant contact and follow up on the expectations of the meteorological department, so the ministry put its teams on high alert since the rain started falling.
The sources indicated that the emergency teams concentrated in the tunnels areas and a number of areas on the highways and the areas in which the projects of the Public Authority for Roads and Land Transport are located. The ministry explained in such cases the contractors have been advised to put their mechanisms on standby for help.
For its part, the Meteorological Department said that Sunday’s weather will be partly cloudy to cloudy, and the winds will turn south-easterly turning into northwesterly at light to moderate speed, active at intervals of 12 to 42 km/hour with a chance for scattered rain sometimes accompanied by thunderstorm, indicating the temperature will range between 18 and 27 degrees Celsius. “At night, the clouds gradually decrease, and the winds are northwesterly light to moderate speed, active at intervals of 10 - 45 km / hour, with a chance of scattered light rain with a chance for fog to form in some areas,” she added. Meanwhile , meteorologist Mohammad Karam predicted chances for rain Tuesday evening, which will continue until dawn next Thursday, reports Al-Rai daily. He disclosed, the maximum temperature will range between 23 and 24 degree Celsius and the lowest between 12 to 14 degrees. The temperature is expected to fall to below 10 degrees Celsius in desert areas.