Stormy weather through midweek

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KUWAIT CITY, Oct 29, (Agencies): Director of Meteorology Department Sami Al-Othman forecasted that the heavy rainfall may continue until mid of next week.

Affirming that the weather has been unstable with low to medium cloud cover in the sky accompanied with thunderstorms at different timings, Al- Othman revealed that Rabya is the most affected area in the country with an average rainfall of 35 mm.

Kuwait City recorded 31mm of rainfall, Kuwait International Airport 27mm and Alleyah 21mm. He forecasted the likelihood for the cloud cover in the sky to gradually shift from partial to full, and the possibility of thunderstorms at various times on Friday, adding that the rain will be accompanied with moderate southerly to southeasterly winds moving at a speed of 20-45 kms per hour.

Al-Othman indicated that the temperature will be maximum 30-33 degrees and minimum 18-22 degrees, adding that the sea waves may rise to about six feet.

Change
He also indicated that the weather on Saturday will be similar to that of Friday with thunderstorms at various timings. He said the wind will change direction at night to light to moderate northeasterly wind moving at a speed of 12-38 kms per hour while the temperature will be maximum 27-30 degrees and minimum 16-19 degrees.

Meanwhile, acting Secretary- General of Kuwait University Dr Adem Al-Mulla on Thursday assured safety of all students and staff in all of the university’s locations. Al-Mulla said in a spress statement that all locations of the university in Khaldiya, Adailiya, Kaifan, Shuwaikh and Jabriyah are safe following his tour to such locations following the unstable weather.

Kuwait University and the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET) announced that Thursday would be a normal working day. Minister of Higher Education and Minister of Education Bader Al-Essa announced that the closure of public and private schools on Thursday due to bad weather.

In a press statement, the minister said that the decision was taken after contacting and consulting meteorologists who forecasted the continuation of heavy rains and thunderstorms tomorrow. The move aims to ensure the safety of students and staff, he said. Elsewhere, torrential rain caused chaos across several parts of Iraq Thursday, with flood waters sweeping a toddler to her death and damaging camps for displaced people.

The storm that hit Baghdad Wednesday evening was unusually violent and the first after a long, dry summer. According to a spokesman for the meteorological department, 54 millimetres (2.1 inches) of rain fell on the Baghdad region in 24 hours, causing thigh-high flooding on some streets.

A three-year-old girl died when she was swept away by the water at a camp for displaced people near Tuz Khurmatu, about 220 kms (135 miles) north of Baghdad, officials said. Hospitals in Baghdad as well Najaf, to the south of the capital, reported hundreds of cases of patients checking in with respiratory ailments caused by humidity.

The poor condition of infrastructure in Baghdad, the Arab world’s second-largest city with an estimated population of more than eight million, resulted in spectacular flooding.

The government declared Thursday a national holiday, knowing that many residents would be unable to reach work due to the effect on transportation. Many motorists were unable to move their vehicles, stranding them on the roadside in the most flooded areas as others were marooned in the middle of deep pools of water.

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