Minister of Interior and Municipalities Raya Hassan issued two new circulars, the first requesting through the governors, each within his area, to inform municipalities as well as mayors in villages where there are no special municipalities to start removing and cleaning canals and waterways.
According to the circular, “The governors are required, within their respective areas, to inform municipalities and mayors in villages where there are no private municipalities, that the removal and cleaning of canals and watercourses should be initiated with the utmost personal importance given… in order to prevent floods caused by heavy rains during the upcoming Autumn and Winter, especially after the spread of the phenomenon of throwing trash outside the containers…”
The circular explained that these precautions aim to ensure the safety of citizens and “avoid damages and risks that may result from the channels and rehabilitation of drainage systems and rainwater sewage, before the beginning of next fall…”
Hassan announced the news through twitter saying that she has addressed regional governors requesting that they ensure the cleaning of water channels in their areas, in order to avoid flooding during fall and winter.
She also requested them to increase the elements of municipal police at the opening and closing times of schools or universities to prevent accidents.
طلبت من المحافظين المباشرة بتنظيف الاقنية ومجاري المياه منعا للفيضانات اثناء هطول الامطار خلال الخريف والشتاء لاسيما بعد انتشار ظاهرة رمي النفايات خارج المستوعبات. كما طلبت منهم العمل على تكثيف عناصر الشرطة البلدية في اوقات افتتاح واقفال المدارس أو الجامعات منعا لحصول حوادث.
— Raya Haffar El Hassan (@rayaelhassan) August 22, 2019
Lebanon has witnessed many storms in the past winter with heavy rainfalls and flash floods, causing a number of roads to close and some damages in various buildings across the country.
