Torrential Rains Expose Saudi Sewage Scandal
Flash floods hit Saudi Arabia’s city of Mecca on Friday morning following a night of torrential rain, damaging vehicles and properties in the city.
The torrential rains also caused school and road closures, and huge trees to fall.
This came only a month after a similar disaster occurred in the second-largest city, Jeddah, causing a rare public anger over the Saudi authorities’ failure to treat the sewage problem. Flash floods have caused problems in Jeddah for decades, where fingers were pointed on corrupt municipal contracting.
Since taking office in 2017, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has directed the Kingdom’s resources toward what he calls “megaprojects,” including luxury seaside resorts and yachting marinas, while ignoring the country’s economic crisis and the deadly floods that hit the Kingdom.
Since the start of 2022, Saudi authorities launched an evacuation campaign in Jeddah aimed at rebuilding the city and address the sewage lake problem.
However, the residents say they have seen little improvement in municipal services, while no one has received compensation or permanent housing.
Saudi authorities continued to evacuate residents from their neighborhoods in profit of a series of fake projects that will never see the light of day.
