Task forces formed to tackle ‘rain chaos’

In anticipation of the rainy season, task forces are being created in order to combat the possible troubles caused by rain, it emerged. The government hopes to avoid water logging issues caused by rain during the rainy season, it is learnt. Heavy rains have caused water logging in Bahrain in the previous years but the government is now taking more measures to avoid repeating such experiences.

  “A team will be dedicated to each governorate when the rainy season begins,” a source from the Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning said. Reportedly, the Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning, Essam Khalaf has ordered the teams to be ready for the rainy season to tackle all issues.  Recently, the ministry had met with municipal council members where the rainy season was a strong point of discussions.

The ministry officials have assured that measures are being taken to avoid inconvenience caused by rain. Water logging is a big concern when the Kingdom receives rain. Spells of showers caused misery to many in Bahrain last year and earlier this year. Tribune reported last year how some residents of West Riffa suffered due to rains. 

The residents of said they did not any receive any help from authorities despite floodwaters entering houses, destroying shops and vehicles in the area. However, the authorities had to work hard to attend cases of water logging around the country.  The Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry said it received 1,000 calls from flooded neighbourhoods in the first four hours of rain that lashed the Southern Governorate and other parts of the Kingdom on October last year.

The ministry also confirmed that some of those cases were referred to the Civil Defence Directorate within the Interior Ministry and 33 water suction tankers were deployed that day to clear floodwaters.