The investigation into last year's flood disaster would be completed within weeks and would be referred to King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, according to Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, the Emir of the Makkah region. During his meeting on Saturday in Jeddah with about 70 officials, at the conclusion of a three-day workshop to consider long-term solutions to develop the districts in the eastern part of Jeddah, Prince Khaled said: “Now we have moved from the culture of frustration to the culture of optimism and hope. We have also moved from a miserable state of frustration to the required state of optimism.” “This nation is used to facing challenges and achieving success. It was this that made us shift from the state of ‘It isn't my businesses' to the state of ‘I'm responsible'.” He said he valued the effort of the Jeddah Mayoralty in setting up the meetings, and also thanked the working teams for their efforts during the deliberations of the workshop. The Emir said that the most important feature of the workshop's recommendations was to develop the area in eastern Jeddah. This covered a number of issues, including dams, valley courses, sanitary drainage, planned and unplanned districts and integrated developments that will help the area become part of a modern city. Prince Khaled confirmed that King Abdullah wanted all projects be completed as soon as possible, and for officials to generate ideas and prepare reports with regard to the floods and sanitary drainage in Jeddah. He said the aim of the workshop was to consider ways to prevent such a flood disaster in the future. “Therefore, we invited to the workshop all the authorities concerned with rains and floods and planning of streets and districts. It brought together more than 100 officials and researchers and all those interested in this matter, apart from the concerned government authorities.” The Emir said there was great enthusiasm among the participants at the workshop. He said many “good studies” were discussed and a new vision was presented on how to tackle the planning of the city. Prince Khaled asked for the recommendations to be redrafted in a concise, effective and clear fashion, for presentation to the King. Recommendations from the workshop: u To develop the area east of Al-Haramain Highway, converting it to the most beautiful area in the world, and to change the valley floors and mountain passes to a more suitable environment, including recreation parks. u To complete the major expressways and to construct a network of roads in the districts in eastern Jeddah. u To complete the new ring road at a cost of an estimated SR3 billion. There will also be the construction of a main road with a width of 25 meters, with upper intersections and free traffic movement, which would be parallel to Al-Haramain Highway, at an estimated cost of SR400 million. u To construct two dual carriageway roads on both sides of Al-Haramain Highway and the ring road at a cost of SR300 million, in addition to expediting the removal of unplanned districts and banning buildings in the valleys at a cost of SR300 million. u To carry out all strategic plans for developing the unplanned districts and to specify the locations of the Civil Defense, the Red Crescent. u To execute the project for the use of sewage water for irrigation at an estimated cost of SR300 million, and construction of sanitary drainage network and treatment plants by the National Water company at a cost of SR900 million. u To conduct a study to link the public transport in Jeddah with the whole area at a cost of SR10 million. u To prepare a general plan for storm-water and flood drainage at a cost of SR20 million, to prepare a study to specify land use, to prepare geological and hydrological maps for the area at a cost of SR20 million and to carry out environmental studies to protect Jeddah from the effects of pollution at a cost of SR20 million. u To construct three dams in Wadi Quwz (Quwz Valley), to demolish the buildings at the dam sites, and to confirm the route of the Al-Haramain Train that passes through the studied area and flexibility to future changes. u The team stressed the importance of studying the Ghalya and Mashoub valleys and determine their courses. This is to find the most suitable solutions for water flowing through this area. u The team recommended that King Abdul Aziz University should study the extent of the effect of the earth dam it constructed in Al-Sulaimania District in case there is flow of flood water and to remove the dam if needed. u The floods team stressed the necessity to increase the capacity of the pumps at King Abdullah Tunnel, to come up with urgent solutions for the King Abdul Aziz Tunnel located along Prince Majed Street, to remove all the earth dykes that were set up in some planned districts in the eastern part of Jeddah, and to expedite implementation of the early warning system by the Presidency of Meteorology and the Environment.
Recommendations on water drainage: u There were 52 water drainage culverts, most of which were not functioning as required. The team called for restructuring these culverts and to make the level of the service roads equal to that of the culverts, to study the construction of water drainage canals adjacent to Al-Haramain Highway and to expand the water drainage openings in the median island in the middle of Al-Haramain Highway. u There was a need to make sure that the water coming out from the area behind the precautionary dam is free of pollutants. All lakes should be monitored and dried up. All flood-hit areas should be sprayed with insecticides and to ensure that the insecticides are not toxic and hazardous to the environment. They should be compliant with approved international standards. u All underground water tanks in citizens' houses should be monitored and checked to see whether it had been affected by rain and flood water. This would be carried out by the National Water Company. The company would also monitor the public water networks and check whether they are in a good condition and that the sewage water has not mixed with drinking water.
Permanent recommendations: u The need to remove all obstacles and the debris from valley courses and to prevent changing the direction of the flow of water in the valleys. To link the valley courses, to carry out maintenance of the flood water canals, to adopt the national plan for flood management. u There were two special cases: the first was to totally demolish the Al-Khair planned district east of the highway because it could not be protected from future floods; and secondly for the Saudi Geological Survey and King Abdul Aziz University to conduct another study on the construction of dams in the east of Jeddah.
