Saudi dams can't hold floodwaters — environment expert

JEDDAH: The Kingdom’s dams do not have the capacity to hold a great deal of rainwater, which means that overflows are a major threat to citizens living in valleys and other low-lying areas, according to an environmental expert.
Most of the dams have not been maintained properly and have therefore built up a great deal of silt and sediment, reducing their capacity, said Abdul Malik bin Abdulrahman Al-Asheikh, director of the Prince Sultan Institute for Environment, Water and Desert Research.
Al-Asheikh’s warning comes as heavy rain lashed large parts of the Kingdom including Makkah, Jeddah, Tabuk and other northern regions. The government has issued warning for citizens not to venture outside unless absolutely necessary.
In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency, Al-Asheikh said the government agencies overseeing the country’s dams must ensure proper maintenance and clear away the high levels of silt and sediment. They should also introduce an early warning system for members of the public.
He urged people living in low-lying areas to take extra precautions during bad weather, and even evacuate their homes if heavy rainfall is predicted by the weather bureau. They would have to do this quickly to prevent being caught by flash floods in their homes, he said.
Al-Asheikh said the government must build smaller dams on tributaries feeding the valleys, which would hold some of the rainwater. He said the climate of the Arabian Peninsula is changing because of global warming, with an expected 25 to 30 percent increase in annual rainfall.
The peninsula had initially seen heavy rainfall for about 9,000 years in the past, which then led to about 3,000 years of drought. This now appears to be changing again, he said.
Heavy rains and wind lashed Jeddah and other parts of the country on Tuesday, causing the death of eight people, flooding of streets and underpasses, uprooting of trees, and widespread power cuts. Schools have remained closed.