KUWAIT: Several areas around Kuwait were flooded following heavy rains that hit the country on Friday. Kuwait Fire Force said fire squads dealt with 147 calls during rainfall on Friday in various governorates, adding Interior Minister Sheikh Talal Khalid Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah was following the calls that were under direct supervision of KFF Chief Lt Gen Khaled Rakan Al-Mekrad.

Most calls were concentrated on some tunnels and roads where large quantities of water had accumulated. Hydraulic pumps were used to clear the roads in cooperation with related state ministries. Squads also dealt with water in the basements of some houses, while 211 people trapped in their vehicles were rescued without any injuries, in addition to traffic accidents, fires in power transformers and fallen trees. Most calls came from Jahra, Farwaniya, Capital and Hawally governorates.

Minister of Public Works and Minister of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy, Amani Buqammaz held a meeting with officials at the operations room to follow up the repercussions of the rains and determine the readiness of emergency teams in dealing with the reports received by them. Meteorologist Abdulaziz Al-Qarawi said 5.8 mm of rain fell on Kuwait City, 6.6 mm on Salmiya and 5.6 mm on Jahra. Rainfall was heavy on Rabia, which recorded 24.4 mm. It exceeded 10 mm on Jabriya and was light on other areas of Kuwait. - KUNA