- JEDDAH: The risk of flooding in Jeddah will come to an end in six months once three dams in the east and south of Jeddah are completed, the Saudi Geological Survey (SGS) announced.
The announcement follows heavy rains on Jan. 26 that destroyed a dam in the Um Al-Khair district, causing devastating floods in parts of the city.
“The three dams will protect the neighborhoods and homes located in the valleys … The new dams will be able to handle stronger floods than those experienced on Nov. 25, 2009,” said Zohair Nawab, president of the SGS.
“The dams collect water for the agriculture sector. There is a civic project called Water Harvesting to encourage using accumulated water for agriculture, instead of being sent to the sea 30 km away,” he added.
“The water could be pumped eastward to Wadi Fatima and Asfan, especially since they are very close to Jeddah,” he said.