JEDDAH – King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has ordered a massive investigation into the Jeddah catastrophic rainstorm to establish the precise cause and try to determine responsibility for the death of over 100 people, a royal statement carried by Saudi Press Agency said Monday.
“The disaster was not a result of extraordinary or out-of-control hurricanes or floods as we know them. It was the result of a rainstorm that cannot be described as disastrous,” the King said in his order. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah, will head the inquiry.
Many countries around the world have a similar rainfall amount almost everyday without causing them such losses and damages as we have seen in the Jeddah Governorate, including countries with fewer resources than the Kingdom, the royal statement said.
Last Wednesday’s three-inch rainfall in Jeddah has sparked a burst of public outrage for the inability of the city’s infrastructure to handle the rainfall.
The rainstorm has inflicted huge damage on public and private properties to which “We, very urgently, ordered concerned departments to handle,” the decree said.
“As we bear responsibility before Allah,” to keep everybody in the country secure and safe, “It is our duty to firmly face this issue and find out those responsible, either government departments or individuals,” contributing to this disaster and firmly punish them for coming short of their duty, the decree said. “We are aware that we cannot overlook any shortcomings or mistakes from certain departments, and we have the courage to disclose them and deal with firmly,” the statement said.
In his order, King Abdullah has tasked Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah, to chair the investigation committee that comprises of 1- Chairman of Control and Investigation (CIP), 2- representatives from the Ministry of Interior including Chief of Civil Defense, Deputy of Makkah Emir, Chief of Administrative Intelligence, and Chief of Makkah Intelligence, 3- a high ranking official from General Intelligence, 4- Deputy Minister of Justice, and 5- Assistant Deputy of General Control Court.
The committee will also assess personal and property losses.
The King has also authorized the investigation committee to summon whoever for questioning, if necessary, and to form sub-committees to help in the information gathering process. The King has also ordered the committee to work full-time to come out with its detailed report of outcomes and recommendations very soon.
Families of flood victims will receive SR1 million (US$267,000), the King has ordered the Ministry of Finance. Many of the victims drowned or were crushed in cars by the floodwater. – SPA