Residents who were evacuated from Juffair on Saturday and initially taken to a shelter in Manama were relocated once again to a safer facility, the GDN learned yesterday.
They were moved from Ahmed Al Omran Secondary Boys School in Hoora to a girls’ school in Hamad Town.
The residents were shifted following Iranian drone attacks that damaged three buildings in Manama and Muharraq on Saturday night.
The GDN spoke with two expatriates who first sought refuge in Hoora but eventually spent the night elsewhere.
Indian engineer Vinayak, who provided only his first name, spent the night at the girls’ school in Hamad Town with his wife and two sons – five‑year‑old Rigved and two‑year‑old Kashyap.
“The facilities we were provided, under these circumstances, were fine and we were happy with them,” the expat said.
“We slept there and were given mattresses and bedding.”
At midday yesterday, he informed the GDN that his company had secured hotel accommodation in Manama for him and his family, and that they will be temporarily relocating there.
Azerbaijani expatriate Rauf Hassanli, who had initially taken refuge at Ahmed Al Omran Secondary Boys School on Saturday along with Mr Vinayak, was later moved to a shelter in Saar.
The chemistry teacher did not disclose the exact location of the facility, but confirmed that he spent the night there with his wife Atia and their cat Charlie.
He had earlier told the GDN that he left his apartment in Juffair with nothing but his beloved pet.
Meanwhile, some Juffair residents sought refuge in locations they read on a now-outdated list of emergency shelters, issued by the Interior Ministry last year.
A Filipino expat had gone to a mall in Saar, listed as a ‘second-phase’ shelter on the Crisis and Disaster Management Directorate-authored document, but had to leave at closing time.
He went to Ikea, where he spent the night with his family in the parking lot, along with ‘dozens of families’, including elderly individuals.
“We were scattered across the parking lot. Ikea was closed so everyone was just in their cars. At around 1am, they switched off the lights and it was pretty cozy in the cars.”
“It was quiet and peaceful except for the occasional explosions. We made the best of it, but everyone was so tired and afraid and worried.”
zainab@gdnmedia.bh
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