JEDDAH: Civil defense officers are likely to find the bodies of more victims of the Jeddah floods in affected areas by using advanced equipment, said Abdullatif Niamatullah, head of the Department of the Environment at King Abdulaziz University.
"The quick detection of bodies depends on the use of advanced technology, information about where they disappeared as well as the number of teams working to find them," he said, adding that the flood waters might have taken some bodies to the sea. According to reports issued by the Civil Defense, 38 people are still missing in spite of continuing efforts and searches.
Niamatullah opposed quick implementation of projects to contain floods, adding that the negative effect of such projects would appear later. He stressed the need for establishing an adequate number of sewage water purification centers in every city.
"Such centers would be able to accommodate a large quantity of sewage water," he said, adding that the water could be used for irrigation and agricultural purposes.
Meanwhile, Hussein bin Alawi Baaqeel, chairman of the Jeddah Municipal Council, said the rainwater drainage project, which is being implemented by a major company in Samir District, would be completed within 45 days.
"It is one of the emergency solutions to protect residents of the district from floods," Baaqeel said. The council has called for the establishment of dams to protect all residential districts east of the Haramain Expressway.
"I have met with the engineer in charge of the drainage project," he said, adding that it would be functional within a month and a half.
