New Laws of Commercial Registration and Trade Names take effect on Thursday    Civil Defense warns of heavy rains across Saudi Arabia until Monday    Saudi Exchange suspends trading of seven companies over financial disclosure delays    New fleet of 76 public transport buses starts operation in Jeddah on Tuesday Environmentally friendly electric buses introduced for first time    Foreign investors are allowed to engage in real estate business outside Makkah and Madinah Commercial speculation should not be the purpose of real estate transaction    EU preparing 'further countermeasures' to protect its interest, von der Leyen says    Tesla sales plunge after backlash against Elon Musk    Musk's X is suing India, as Tesla and Starlink plan entry    Israel announces expansion of military operation in Gaza to seize 'large areas' of land    US cancels visa of Nobel Peace Prize winner Oscar Arias    Danish prime minister refutes US claim on Greenland on visit to the Arctic territory    Aubameyang fires Al Qadsiah into King's Cup final with stoppage-time winner over Al Raed    Cristiano Ronaldo joins Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves    Saudi Arabia welcomes trilateral border treaty between Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan    Swedish table tennis legend Jörgen Persson appointed head coach of Saudi national team    Danilo Pereira fires Al Ittihad into King's Cup final with dramatic stoppage-time double    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Mexico bans junk food in schools to fight childhood obesity epidemic    Sweet sales surge ahead of Eid as Saudi chocolate imports top 123 million kg in 2024    Saudi creatives shine at Jeddah's Fawanees Nights with art, fashion, and storytelling    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



No time to waste
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 12 - 05 - 2011

Heavy rains inundated Metro Manila Saturday, prompting suggestion from the Philippine Star in Manila for disaster agencies to get prepared for the monsoon season which usually starts in June. Here is the Star editorial:
A heavy downpour of about an hour and what happens? Metro Manila was inundated last Saturday. And the monsoon season is still many weeks away. The massive flooding over the weekend should serve as an early warning to disaster agencies that Metro Manila, home to over a tenth of the country's population, is not ready for the typhoon season.
The country has seen enough cataclysmic typhoons and flooding to know the consequences of being unprepared for nature's fury. Metro Manila reeled from the winds of super typhoon “Milenyo,” and then from the consequent massive power outages that lasted up to a week in some parts of the metropolis. The typhoons “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” several years ago triggered disastrous flooding that took several weeks to subside in many parts of the Laguna de Bay floodplain.
Disaster agencies have since procured life rafts and other rescue equipment in preparation for typhoons. But the most basic preparation is clearing drainage systems. Last weekend's torrential flooding subsided quickly but showed that more needs to be done. If Metro Manila could be submerged in an hour-long downpour, think of what could happen if the heavy rain lasted for an entire day, as in Ondoy and Pepeng.
By now utility companies should also be deep in preparation for contingencies. In many parts of Metro Manila, water supply is dependent on electricity to run pumps. Power lines and poles are expected to be damaged during typhoons. What is important is to restore power supply as quickly as possible, and not just to the posh villages in Makati. Communication is also crucial and service disruptions must be addressed quickly.
At the airport, authorities must be prepared, if not with power generators that work, then at least to ensure that ceilings do not leak during a downpour. Generators need to be tested before the onset of the monsoons, and they must have sufficient power to provide comfortable ventilation at the airport during blackouts. Drainage systems should also be checked to prevent flooding at the tarmac.
All these measures are known to concerned authorities. Last Saturday's flooding was a reminder that there's no excuse to be unprepared, and there's no time to waste.
__


Clic here to read the story from its source.