Floods action plan 'ignored'

By TARIQ KHONJI
FLOODING which ruined people's homes and brought peril to the roads is being blamed on the government.
Drainage systems are lacking or badly maintained, roads poorly designed and there is no emergency action plan to cope with flooding in place, says a municipal councillor.
Road accidents and housing problems could have been avoided if a plan had been in place, says Capital Municipal Council member Sadiq Ahmed Ali Rahma.
He blamed the Works and Housing Ministry's Sewage Directorate for failing to maintain drainage systems alongside roads.
"It seems the directorate just doesn't care," said Mr Rahma. "They should have a special emergency response plan and they should have been ready for this.
"We all know this is the rainy season, so why didn't they make preparations beforehand?
"A lot of drainage systems are blocked because they are badly maintained. They should have started working on them two months early."
Mr Rahma named Al Suwaisa Road, the Pearl Roundabout, Shaikh Salman Highway, King Faisal Highway, Salmaniya Road and parts of Gudaibiya as being particularly challenging.
Some roads are also badly designed, with slopes pushing rainwater away from the drainage into people's homes, claimed Mr Rahma.
Mr Rahma said this was the case in blocks 314 in Nuaim, 302 in Manama, 303 and 302 in Juffair, and parts of Nabih Saleh and Burhama. The ministry did not comment.