Rain plan questioned as council demands

A plan to tackle flooding during the coming rainy season amounts to little more than a list of pumps and machinery unless authorities explain how and where they will be deployed, a Northern Municipal Council member has warned.

Services and Public Utilities Committee chairman Abdullah Al Qubaisi criticised the Ministry of Works’ preparations for the 2026–2027 rainy season, saying they lacked the practical details needed for an effective emergency response.

His comments came after a coordination meeting at the Northern Municipal Council, which the Ministry of Works missed for the second consecutive time.

The Supreme Council for Environment was also absent. Mr Al Qubaisi said the ministry had not provided details on where pumps would be positioned, which areas would receive priority or how collected rainwater would be safely discharged.

He questioned how authorities would prevent improper disposal of pumped water, particularly after a cleaning company was previously fined BD10,000 for discharging water in open areas or into the sea without a permit.

The council was also not given details of the engineers and staff responsible for different areas or their field schedules, he said, making round-the-clock coordination difficult during emergencies.

Mr Al Qubaisi also warned that pumping alone would not solve flooding if drainage networks remained blocked.

He said no clear timetable had been provided for cleaning rainwater drains, sewer chambers and drainage channels.

The comments came amid calls for closer coordination between government bodies to ensure an integrated response to heavy rain and flooding.