JEDDAH: Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources Minister Khalid Al-Falih said the inauguration ceremony of Saudi Aramco projects and the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) would be on Thursday in the presence of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman.
The inauguration of the Saudi Aramco projects was originally scheduled for last Friday but heavy rains caused their postponement.
Al-Falih said what happened was out of human control.
Another reason for putting it off till Thursday was the busy schedule of King Salman; otherwise Saudi Aramco could have organized the event with only 24-hour notice, he said.
Water leakage into the entrance of King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture was dealt with immediately and the leakage was repaired on the same night, he said.
“As you know, the cultural center is new and rainwater leaked into it last Friday due to heavy rains which amounted to 15 millimeters within a few minutes,” he said.
He said pumping machines to remove the water were supposed to work efficiently and accommodate this amount of rain in accordance with engineering designs of the building developed by the architects and reviewed by Saudi Aramco.
He said an investigation was underway to find out what led to the seepage. He added that Saudi Aramco would take advantage of all different situations and learn the lessons in order to provide the best facilities.
• An earlier version of this report incorrectly mentioned that the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) will be opened on Thursday. It is not being opened, it is being inaugurated.
