Amid the initiation of rainwater drainage system cleaning efforts by the Ministry of Public Works and the Public Authority for Roads and Land Transport across various regions and highways, certain areas recently experienced unexpected summer rainfall due to the region’s current exposure to the effects of the seasonal Indian depression.
Sources within the Ministry of Works told Al-Rai daily that the customary practice involves the commencement of collection and rainwater drainage network cleaning in early August each year. This preparatory measure for the upcoming rainy season continues until October.
These maintenance contracts cover governorate areas and highways identified by an impartial committee, encompassing the task of clearing rainwater drainage networks.
Presently, the ministry is in the process of coordinating a meeting involving multiple relevant authorities. The purpose of this gathering is to deliberate on the plan for the 2024 rainy season, ensuring preparedness for emergency activation. This preemptive approach aims to avert road flooding, especially on highways, and to preserve the accessibility of these roadways.
The sources confirmed that the roads were generally passable on the day prior to yesterday’s rainfall. However, certain locations encountered water collection due to the rain. The ministry swiftly dispatched equipment to address these issues.
The unexpected weather conditions ;ast Friday resulted in sporadic thunderstorms across several areas such as Sulaibikhat, Sulaibiya, Jaber Al-Ahmad, and Al-Jahra. Prior to this event, the Meteorological Department had cautioned about the potential for strong dusty winds with speeds exceeding 55 kilometers per hour.
Abdulaziz Al-Qarawi, the Director of the Meteorological Department, attributed the country’s instability, which extended into Friday evening, to the influence of the elongated seasonal Indian low. This weather pattern introduced a hot and humid air mass.