Egyptian PM meets with governors, urges preparedness for 2nd wave of heavy rain

CAIRO – 23 November 2020: Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli, in a meeting with governors via video, called for cleaning rain drains and securing equipment required to immediately deal with probable heavy rainfall.

This comes in light of the Egyptian Meteorological Authority’s expectation of another wave of heavy rainfall during the coming period, particularly coastal governorates.

Madbouly said authorities managed to deal with the heavy rainfall over the last few days and end the implications within few hours, praising the presence of officials in streets to follow up on the issue.

He added that heavy rain constituted a bigger problem in areas with poor urban infrastructure.

Madbouly called on governors to propose a vision to develop obsolete water networks to manage excess water in streets.

Alexandria

At least four people were killed and six others were wounded, as two buildings in Alexandria’s western districts of Karmuz and Gomrok were damaged on Friday, due to bad weather and heavy rain.

The civil protection forces managed to recover the body of a 58-year old woman from under the rubble of the Gomrok building. Two other children died in the collapse and two people were injured.

Concerning the Karmuz building, a 20-year old man died and four people were wounded as the building partially collapsed due to heavy rains that flooded the street where the building is located.

The Alexandria governor followed up on efforts of the civil protection forces and concerned authorities while rescuing four citizens trapped in the building after it collapsed.

Due to continuous heavy rains in Alexandria at the time, the Alexandria governorate office urged citizens to stay at home unless it is absolutely necessary to go out, in order for authorities to be able to remove water from the streets.