Ibrahim Shihab

Okaz/Saudi Gazette

 

JEDDAH — Residents of Jeddah’s historical Al-Balad District said they are worried old buildings in the area might collapse due to ongoing digging work in the area.



They said a nearby old warehouse has completely fallen down and a neighboring old house has partially collapsed due to the work.



Other houses are starting to crack but some residents cannot leave their houses because they have nowhere else to go.



Ahmad Al-Saeedi, a long-time resident of the area, said the Civil Defense has asked residents to evacuate their houses, adding the organization could have cut off the power to force them to leave.



"We have become apprehensive about living in our houses, which may collapse due to the digging works, and we have notified the municipality of this danger," he said.



Residents have asked for an urgent solution to this problem before their houses also collapse.



Jeddah Municipality spokesman Abdulaziz Al-Ghamdi said the warehouse was visited by a representative of the municipality and the Civil Defense before it collapsed and the building occupants were told to evacuate.



The municipality has asked the building owner to present a certificate that the building was safe when it was refurbished.