Flood victims left in lurch on compensation, says Muharraq council

TDT | Manama     

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The compensation criteria employed by the Ministry of Works have sparked significant criticism. During their last meeting, several members of the Muharraq Municipal Council raised concerns after the ministry confirmed that the list of 232 rain-affected submissions provided by the council would not receive compensation.

The council members stated that the ministry had turned down all 232 of their submitted claims, asserting that the applicants failed to meet the standards arbitrarily established by the ministry.

The members contended that they were never apprised of these standards.

In April, Bahrain endured torrential downpours, resulting in severe flooding and extensive property damage. Funds The government, in its response, allocated funds intended to compensate citizens affected by this natural calamity.

According to the council, the ministry’s criteria for compensation encompassed only damage from rainwater entering through the front door or beneath it, as well as damage to vehicles parked in front of the house during the rainfall.

However, the members highlighted that numerous homes suffered damage from water ingress through the back or the roof, with some roofs even collapsing under the weight of the downpour.

Additionally, they observed that some residents had their cars break down whilst they were outside during the rain. The ministry reportedly ruled out these other types of damage as “irreparable.”

The council members questioned who was responsible for setting these narrow compensation standards, as they contradicted the clear directives from His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for full compensation of those affected.

The Muharraq Municipal Council is demanding that the ministry disclose the full compensation details and amend the overly restrictive standards to properly assist all 232 rain-affected applicants on their submitted list.