Okaz/Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — People of Quwaiza district in east Jeddah have called upon authorities to take quick measures to prevent a repeat of a deluge that had hit the district nine years ago following continuous heavy rains that killed many people and destroyed homes, vehicles and business centers.

They have expressed their anger against the National Water Company for not implementing a sewage network project to prevent surfacing of sewage water, spreading nasty smell and producing disease-carrying mosquitoes. Sewage has damaged the service road parallel to Haramain Expressway.

Bandar Al-Harbi said the sewage water had destroyed asphalted roads creating potholes. “We are preparing to take legal action against the company if it’s not taking any action to implement the projects it had promised for Quwaiza,” he told Okaz/Saudi Gazette.

Apart from the sewage problem, the district is also facing accumulation of garbage along the streets where old cars have been abandoned obstructing traffic,” he said.

Al-Harbi accused NWC of causing environment pollution in Quwaiza. “Increasing number of potholes in Quwaiza streets damage cars and cause accidents,” he pointed out.

“We have lost our faith and confidence in the company as it has failed to fulfill its promise to implement the sewage network project.

Quwaiza has not received any major development projects after the Jeddah deluge that killed 121 people and destroyed several houses in 2009,” he said.

Al-Harbi urged authorities to take precautionary measures to protect Quwaiza residents against possible floods during the upcoming rainy season.

Mahdi Al-Suhaili also expressed his fears about possible huge floods. “We are afraid of floods whenever the rainy season approaches as we remember the deaths and destruction caused by the Jeddah deluge. We still remember it as if it had happened yesterday,” he told Okaz/Saudi Gazette.

He asked what are the precautions taken by authorities to prevent a repeat of Jeddah deluge and protect citizens and residents living in Quwaiza. “Our district lacks rainwater drainage systems,” he said while expressing his dismay over the surfacing of sewage on its roads.

Muhammad Al-Aseeri spoke about environment pollution caused by sewage and garbage in the district.

“We can see a large number of old cars being abandoned in various parts of the district,” Al-Aseeri said referring to the municipality’s negligence toward Quwaiza.