Ashghal clears 85% of rainwater flood reports as emergency teams work around the clock in Qatar

Qatar rain updates

The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) reported it has completed clearing around 85 per cent of the total 770 reports on rainwater accumulation submitted under current weather conditions, and it is continuing to ensure response to the remaining cases.

Ashghal stressed that its field teams are still on 24/7 standby to ensure speedy drainage of water and maintain the smooth flow of traffic, especially in the worst-hit areas such as Al Wakrah, Al Wukair, Industrial Area and Mebaireek.

Eng. The Authority’s team was mobilized at the start of the week in coordination with the Ministry of Interior, represented by General Directorate of Traffic and National Command Center, as well as Ministry of Municipality to ensure immediate response to water accumulations, said Mohammed Al Kubaisi from Ashghal’s Drainage Networks Operation and Maintenance Department.

He said the monitoring systems at the Rain Emergency Room based on the data from the Meteorology Department of the Civil Aviation Authority showed that the highest accumulations of rain since dawn on Monday were in AL Wakrah, and Al Karaana and Meknes.

Al Kubaisi stated that teams are working to clear water from tunnels and main roads, maintain the effectiveness of drainage networks and facilitate traffic movement. While over 370 water tankers and more than 44 mobile pumps were dispatched, technical teams have also been stationed in the worst-hit areas, he said.

For his part, Eng. Mohammed Mabrouk Al Korbi, Monitoring and Control Engineer at Ashghal, said Traffic Engineers in the Rain Emergency Room at Ashghal are closely monitoring the status of main roads and tunnels across Qatar around-the-clock, in coordination with all concerned parties including the National Command Centre, municipalities and General Directorate of Traffic.

He pointed that coordination is continuing with the Meteorology Department at the General Authority of Civil Aviation to monitor and follow up on weather developments in real time, also reaffirming that technical teams are working 24 hours a day to maintain cleared roads and free traffic.

Dynamic traffic signs are also updated continuously to guide road users and deliver real-time information on road conditions and safety instructions, Al Korbi said.

He also added that Ashghal undertook proactive and extensive preventive maintenance before the rainy season such as servicing over 170,000 drainage inlets, cleaning and maintaining about 658 kilometres of drainage networks, cleaning and maintaining more than 16,000 inspection chambers and more than 120 tunnels.

Ashghal has called on the public to be careful while driving in the rain and report water accumulation through the Customer Service Centre 188 or 'Ashghal 360' app.