Makkah governor to inaugurate Jeddah flood projects Wednesday

Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal will open on Wednesday 14 projects to facilitate the quick drainage of rainwater in Jeddah. The schemes were completed within 110 days. The governor will officially open the projects from the location of Umm Al-Khair Dam in east Jeddah. The projects were completed in areas most affected by the rain and floods of November 2009 and January 2011. In addition to the construction of the Umm Al-Khair and Al-Samir dams in east Jeddah, all canals through which floodwater flowed to the sea were cleaned and opened up. The other 12 projects included the digging of a drainage line at the intersection of Prince Majed and Palestine roads. Drainage systems and underpasses were also constructed at King Abdullah Tunnel on Madinah Road, King Fahd Tunnel at King Abdullah Road, the intersection of Khaled bin Al-Waleed Street with King Abdullah Road, the intersections of Al-Andalus Street with both King Abdullah and Al-Hamra roads, Prince Majed Tunnel on Prince Muhammad bin Abdul Aziz Street and the tunnel at the intersection of Prince Majed and Al-Rawdah streets. Underpasses were also built at the intersections of Prince Majed Street with Abdullah Al-Sulaiman, Bakhashab and Ziyad bin Omar streets. The projects were implemented by a national company while the Jeddah municipality constructed the underpass at the intersection of Sari and Madinah roads. The projects also included a study to evaluate the precautionary mud dams of the Musk Lake. The walls of the canals at the precautionary dam were made higher and a maintenance road opened. Meanwhile, Prince Khaled watched an operation to test the communication systems of the crisis management center at the Jeddah governorate. The center is equipped to show emergency situations anywhere in the city within a radius of 50 kilometers. It also has TV channels providing weather forecasts around the clock.