“We are unable to reach many disabled victims, especially those who suffer from poor eyesight,” secretary general of Ibsar Welfare Society Muhammad Tawfiq Ballo told Arab News Monday.

He said as of Sunday, the society was able to contact 551 families of blind people that it had registered. He said the rains and floods affected 73 of these families.

He added that 41 percent of them live in south Jeddah, 21 percent in the north and 23 percent in central Jeddah.

Ballo said 247 registered families were not affected by the disaster, while the society is still trying to contact 224 families. “We are currently trying our hardest to find out if these families were affected or not and if so, whether they were taken to furnished apartments by the Civil Defense,” he said.

Ballo pointed out that the lack of data hindered the efforts of the society, which has not been able to contact the remaining families.

“Other societies are also unable to reach needy families due to a lack of data about their whereabouts and living conditions,” he added.

Ballo said neither the local social affairs department nor other relief organizations have sufficient data on people affected by the floods.

“We are in constant touch with the department’s committee in charge of relief work in the hope they can eventually provide us with information they may have on blind victims so we can reach and support them,” he said.

Ballo asked all blind people affected by the floods not to hesitate to contact the society.