Muscat – The Municipal Council of Muscat held a meeting on Tuesday to discuss ways to reduce impact of inclement weather and heavy rains that hit the governorate from time to time.

The meeting addressed efforts undertaken to reduce the risk of floods, effects of climatic conditions, and projects to protect against the dangers of overflowing wadis, while benefitting from rainwater runoff in the governorate.

The meeting was led by H E Sayyid Saud bin Hilal al Busaidi, Minister of State and Governor of Muscat and Chairman of the Municipal Council, and attended by several officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources (MAFWR) and Muscat Municipality.

The municipality took cognizance of the fact that the governorate recently witnessed impact of varying extent on public and private infrastructure caused by heavy rains.

Dr Khalid bin Salim al Mashaikhi, assistant director general for dams in MAFWR, stated that the ministry has made concrete efforts to monitor and analyse floods and reduce risks in the governorate.

“The ministry issued recommendations to complement these efforts. It has taken note that the governorate faced tropical depressions in recent years, which have caused financial losses and damage to infrastructure and property,” Mashaikhi said.

He listed Wadi Samail (Al Khoudh), Wadi al Jifnain, Wadi al Ansab, Wadi Adai, Wadi al Maih, Wadi Majlas and a few others for affecting the governorate the most.

“The ministry has conducted a study on how to protect Muscat from floods through proposed dam projects that will reduce the direct impact of flooding,” he said.

According to Mashaikhi, Muscat Municipality has also prepared a comprehensive and integrated study for rainwater drainage in the governorate. It includes information on the course of wadis, volume of water flowing in these, data on the existing drainage system, and a structural plan for surface water drainage.

“The study will help find sustainable solutions to the problems of flooding and drainage. Plans will be proposed based on the study and implemented according to the priority associated with the needs of the areas in the governorate,” Mashaikhi said.