Angry residents of Aziziah district in Jeddah have called on the municipality to remove stagnant pools of water from the city streets because of the danger posed by the breeding of disease-carrying insects.

They say the threat level has increased as winter approaches and the temperature drops, with many people more susceptible to getting colds, flu and other illnesses.

The say that there is also a foul smell coming from these pools of water, and that they are dirtying the cars of local motorists.

Nasar Iqbal, a resident, claimed that residents have lodged many complaints over the years but nothing has been done about the problem. “Every time the gutter overflows water accumulates on the road and no one takes care of it. These days there is a danger of people becoming infected with dengue fever, coronavirus and other infectious diseases.”

Iqbal accused the municipality of doing nothing because the area is home to mainly expatriates.

Another resident Khalid Raheem said pools of water can now be seen in front of many restaurants in the area. He urged the municipality to take action, to prevent people becoming infected with dangerous diseases, particularly now that winter is approaching.

A local shopkeeper Noor Mohammed said that the pools of sewage water in front of his shop makes him sick and his customers also complain about it. It is also a problem for pedestrians. He claimed the municipality has done nothing to fix the problem.

He said the rainy season would make things worse because the pools of water will grow larger. There are also schools in the area that are going to be affected if nothing is done, he said.