JEDDAH: Three dams should be built in Jeddah’s Wadi Qaus and linked to rainwater drainage canals to help prevent flooding in the city’s eastern districts, according to a workshop set up by Makkah’s governor.
It also says the residential district of Umm Al-Khair should be evacuated to save its residents from future floods.
These are some of the recommendations from the workshop, set up by Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, to ensure there is no repetition of the death toll from the disastrous floods of Nov. 25, which claimed over 100 people’s lives.
The Saudi Geological Survey (SGS) will soon start preparing a study on the possibility of constructing the Wadi Qaus dams and identify their required water storage capacity.
It will also identify the districts and buildings that can remain in the area and those need to be removed because of flood risks.
The workshop, opened by Prince Khaled last week, said the SGS study should cover the engineering, design and environment of the dams and how to link them with drainage canals. The study has been given a completion date of six weeks.
The dams will be constructed within a month of completing necessary studies and once all buildings in its path are removed.
The route for the Haramain railway, which links Jeddah with Makkah and Madinah, will also be reviewed to ensure that it will not be affected by plans for the dams.
The workshop called for an emergency study on the Wadi Ghalil and Wadi Mashoub valleys in east Jeddah, which are at severe risk from flooding. The study, which needs to be completed within eight weeks, should identify solutions to prevent any disasters there.
The workshop recommended completing the floodwater drainage project on the Old Makkah Road and linking it with the southern canal. The Jeddah municipality has been asked to complete the project by April next year.
The capacity of pumps to remove water from King Abdullah underpass will be increased within a year. Swift measures will also be taken to remove water from the King Abdulaziz University underpass on Prince Majed Street within a year.
Experts also called for an early warning system for floods and climate change. They also called for a rainwater drainage system for the Haramain Highway to be constructed within a year.
The workshop recommended refurbishing and cleaning floodwater canals in the northern, eastern and southern parts of the city within a year.
Measures should be taken to prevent the throwing of waste into these canals.
The covered northern canal should also be cleaned to ensure a smooth flow of floodwater. The workshop urged authorities to ensure floodwater dumped in the sea is free from pollutants.
The municipality has been urged to remove rainwater that has accumulated on roads, residential districts and other open areas as quickly as possible.
Insecticides should be sprayed to kill mosquitoes but without affecting public health. The workshop urged authorities to inspect the underground water tanks of houses and restaurants affected by flooding. Studies should be conducted on how to collect and make use of floodwater. Experts also approved a national program for flood management.
