Jeddah, November 28: Rescue operations were still continuing particularly in the badly affected areas to the east of the city as the death toll of the recent torrential rains and floods that swept through Jeddah was put at 85 by Civil Defense on Friday. However, three more bodies seen by Arab News reporters were discovered in Quwizah district later, bringing the number of the dead to 88.
Capt. Abdullah Al-Amri, the Civil Defense spokesman, said 37 bodies, all Saudis, had been handed over to their families and relatives for burial.
There were, however, no confirmed statistics about the number of people missing but reports Friday put them at above 350.
Director General of Civil Defense in Jeddah Gen. Muhamamd Abdul Rahman Al-Ghamdi said that a total of 1,251 people, whose homes were completely or partially damaged by the rains and the floods, had been accommodated in furnished apartments following an instruction by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah. He said efforts were currently under way to provide accommodation to other families.
Gen. Al-Ghamdi said the king’s gesture covered all the residents of Jeddah affected by the disaster, whether they were Saudis or foreigners. He pointed out that his department would be able to deal with the problem of identities and official documents lost in the rain although it was causing delay in accommodating the victims.
“The department is now surveying all the affected areas looking for casualties and survivors,” he added.
Al-Ghamdi said a special committee was currently assessing damage to homes, cars and other property to inform relevant authorities with a view to future compensation.
He told Arab News that work was currently under way to clear the Haramain Expressway. Local contractors were helping remove cars and other debris blocking it, he said.
He reconfirmed that the Directorate General of Civil Defense had plans for the emergency evacuation of people living and working close to the sewage lake (commonly known to the residents of Jeddah as the Musk Lake).
Reports from Jeddah municipality stated that the lake and its retaining dam were safe. However, local residents had feared that the dam might be breached causing more floods in the city.
The municipality allayed these fears by affirming that the dam encircling it has been further fortified.
Field tours by Arab News reporters to the affected areas noted hectic efforts to reopen the Haramain Expressway, which was blocked by hundreds of wrecked and abandoned vehicles as a result of the floods. It is expected that the road might reopen for normal traffic by early Saturday morning.
Many residents of Quwaizah and Hasat Muraikh appealed to the authorities for help. They said they have been without electricity for many days. They also appealed to welfare organizations to provide them with food and medicines.
Al-Ghamdi, however, promised that the electricity would soon be restored in their areas.
——Agencies