Khaberni - The spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Works and Housing, Omar Maharme, said that the decrease in the number of reports during the last weather depression, despite its duration, reflects the effectiveness of the technical and engineering treatments implemented by the ministry over the past weeks, especially during the period when rainfall had stopped, alongside the effectiveness of the adopted emergency plan for the current winter season.
Maharme confirmed that prior readiness and the preparation of logistics, along with training programs, contributed to enhancing the readiness of the ministry's staff and proving the effectiveness of the emergency plan, noting that the ministry dealt with the weather condition according to the medium emergency plan, through the deployment of field teams and machinery across different regions of the kingdom proportionally with the nature of each governorate and the volume of incoming reports.
He pointed out that the ministry's staff were present in the field since last Wednesday morning and continued their work during the Eid al-Fitr period, inspecting roads and stream paths and valleys, and dealing with incoming reports immediately.
The number of reports that were handled from the afternoon of last Wednesday until 12 noon on Sunday reached 29, in addition to a number of routine reports related to lighting failures, traffic signals and accidents, while the ministry's staff continued to conduct routine inspection tours around the clock to monitor road conditions and culverts within their jurisdictions.
According to the report, 25 reports were handled from the afternoon of Wednesday until Friday afternoon, while only 4 reports were dealt with from after Friday afternoon until noon today, indicating a significant decrease in the number of reports compared to previous weather depressions.
Regarding the reports, the Irbid Public Works Directorate dealt with falling rocks and soil erosion on Al-Shajara Al-Mughayyir road in Al-Ramtha district, while the Jerash Public Works Directorate dealt with rising water levels in Al-Qirowan area as the culvert did not accommodate the running water volumes.
In Al-Balqa, a rockslide was handled on the Dead Sea road near Suweimeh Municipality using the municipality's machinery due to its proximity to the site, while the Capital Public Works Directorate dealt with rising water levels under Arainbah Bridge on the Desert Highway.
In Madaba, mud and gravel erosion on Al-Malouki road in Al-Wala area was handled, soil and rock erosions on Ma'in road, soil erosions on the surface of the Dead Sea road, gravel and soil erosions in Al-Zara, and soil and rock erosions on Faisal - Ayyun Musa road.
Similarly, soil sliding on the Ma'in - Ajloun road led to the pushing and overturning of a gabion wall on the road, partially closing it for a distance of 20 meters, before clearing the road and reopening it to traffic.
In Al-Karak, limited erosions due to rising water levels were handled on the Jordan Valley road, rising water levels and mud erosion on Wadi Al-Karak road, and soil and gravel erosion that partially closed the road in Ein Sarah area, significant stone and soil erosion causing partial closure of Al-Karak - Jordan Valley road, besides closing of Iraq road due to stone erosions and rising water levels, and rising water levels at Al-Karak College traffic signal, and dealing with mud erosions on Al-Hasaniya and That Ras - Al-Ayna roads, as well as monitoring technical notes on water facilities in the Iraq area.
In Tafilah, mud erosions were handled on the surface of the Tafilah - Karak road, stone falls in Al-Qadesiyah area, and mud presence on Aima - Dhiban road, in addition to the collapse of part of the Tafilah - Karak road over a stretch of about 125 meters, where a diversion was created and opened for traffic.
A report of a blocked agricultural road leading to a livestock farm area in Mansoura - Baqaa Al-Ballan was also handled, and a temporary solution was implemented pending the formation of a committee to inspect the site and study the construction of a culvert, and the road was temporarily opened. The staff also dealt with accumulated mud and stones on Al-Malouki road.
In Ma'an, rising water levels were handled on the Desert Highway, rising water levels on Uheida road, rising water levels and mud on Al-Fujeij road, in addition to mud accumulation at two locations on agricultural roads in Al-Husseinieh District.
The ministry clarified that its staff would work in the next two days to reinspect all culverts and sites within their jurisdictions, in preparation for the new weather depression expected to start affecting the kingdom from Wednesday morning.
Petra
