ELECTRICAL short circuits, a fallen lamp-post, traffic signal disruptions, cars stuck in rainwater, vehicle breakdowns and accidents were some of the emergencies the civil defence personnel attended to over the past two days.
However, there is no respite as the weathermen predict more rain until tomorrow, with the temperature expected to drop to as low as 12C.
The kingdom experienced heavy rain on Saturday, leading to flooding in many areas.
The Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry emergency team also conducted a field visit of various governorates beginning early Saturday morning.
The operations room at the Interior Ministry logged 479 calls, and activated the emergency plan in co-ordination with the competent authorities.
According to the ministry, the Civil Defence handled four reports involving electrical short circuits and a fallen lamp-post. It also responded to calls for help, rescue, and rainwater drainage.
The operations department responded to 315 calls, including traffic light signal disruptions and cars stuck in rainwater, while the traffic directorate responded to 160 calls, including vehicle breakdowns and accidents.
The police were called in to manually operate traffic signals, while police patrols were assigned to organise traffic on some roads that witnessed rainwater accumulation.
Meanwhile, the Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry prioritised efforts to ensure that water-logged main roads were cleared as soon as possible.
“Priority was given to roads that connected to highways, streets in residential areas, and those near mosques and schools,” said a statement.
“Rainwater suction tanks and mobile pumps were deployed while the drainage holes and passages were re-cleaned to ensure the smooth flow of sewage water; 1,228 such holes and passages were cleared.
“In addition, all water channels associated with the drainage system were cleared in recent days to avoid clogging and flooding.
“These included water estuaries that led to the sea, open water drainage channels, and underground rainwater tanks.
“As soon as the rainwater suction was finished, municipality workers began sweeping and cleaning the main roads and streets of accumulated mud and debris,” a spokesman added.
“We also urge people not to dump waste into any waterways, as this will exacerbate the problems and make it difficult for the emergency team to respond.”
The ministry has also announced emergency hotlines on its social media platforms to receive water-logging reports.
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