Wary of tremors, Jazan people want Bisha dam emptied

Tribal leaders in Jazan have called for the intervention of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah to empty the Bisha dam following reports that a forceful tremor could damage the dam and flood the city.
“We request that the king issue directives to various departments to open the dam’s shutters and remove the water inside it entirely in order to ensure the safety of local residents,” sabq.org quoted the tribal leaders as saying.
They also requested the king to implement projects for the irrigation of agriculture in the region. The call from tribal leaders comes in the wake of recurrent tremors that have hit the region in recent weeks.
Hani Zahran, director general of the National Seismic Center, said an earthquake measuring 6 on the Richter scale could damage the dam, especially when its epicenter is close to the facility. He also advised emptying the dam as a precautionary measure.
In a previous statement, the Water and Electricity Ministry said the dam was not affected by the two tremors that recently hit the region. “There is nothing to worry about,” the ministry told citizens living in the area.
Several experts from the ministry visited the dam after the tremors occurred and found that it was unaffected by the quakes. “The dam was designed in such a way that makes it resistant to tremors,” the ministry said.