Call for accountability over rain havoc in Saudi Arabia

The Governor of the Eastern Province in Saudi Arabia has promised to review all the shortcomings of how authorities dealt with the heavy rain that lashed the region for one week and to hold those who failed in their responsibilities accountable.

Prince Saud Bin Nayef took full responsibility for everything that happened in the province but said he wanted to find appropriate solutions to address the failures.

“Citizens are always right and that they should appreciate that the meeting we are holding today is not to look for excuses, and if there is a need for an apology, we should be the one to apologise,” Prince Saud said, Saudi daily Okaz reported on Monday.

The wettest week in years has caused havoc in several areas in Saudi Arabia and some highways in the Eastern Province were flooded, cars were submerged and power poles and trees were toppled resulting in heavy losses.

“There was damage from the rain and we must discuss them and review them in order to ensure that they don’t happen in the future,” the governor said

In Bahrain, where flooding due to rains also hit hard, families were invited to file applications to receive compensation following the formation of an ad hoc committee by the Ministry of Works, Municipality Affairs and Urban Planning.

Social media users had a field day as they posted pictures and video clips last week showing the effect of the rains and winds on roads and buildings.

Many young people were seen swimming, rowing small boats or even jet skiing in flooded streets.

Armed with a great sense of humour, they saw the rain as an opportunity to engage in acts they could post on their social media accounts.

“For some people, the rainy season is a great chance to win likes and admirations for the stunts they perform to draw attention,” Abdul Aziz Bu Qais, an office holder, said. “Sometimes, the stunts are fun and enjoyable, but at times, they are risky and we are afraid these people are endangering their lives just for some ephemeral glory on a social media platform.”

Following days of interrupted rain, Sunday and Monday were dry in the Eastern Province although the temperatures were as low as six degrees, according to the Saudi General Authority of Meteorology and Environment Protection.

Forecasts for the next days mention more rain.

People used the lull to attempt to fix the damages they incurred in their homes or cars with mechanics reporting that engines and electrical wiring were the most common damages they saw while repairing vehicles

source : gulfnews