Lt. Col. Jaman Al-Ghamdi of Al-Baha Civil Defense Directorate warned that there are 3165 uncovered ground-level wells all over Al-Baha. He called upon those who owned them to secure and fence them to protect the general public and animals from accidentally falling into them. Lt. Col. Al-Ghamdi said his directorate is constantly coordinating with tribal chiefs and imams of mosques to raise public awareness about the importance of keeping these wells covered and fenced. A committee in charge of these wells was set up to provide accurate statistics on the number of uncovered wells in the region. Police assistance will be requested to make defaulting owners comply with regulations. Lt. Col. Al-Ghamdi said his directorate has state-of-the-art equipment and devices to respond to accidents of falling into a well. “We have special technology which can help divers rescue victims, especially old men, children and cattle. Over the past five years, we've only registered three fatal drowning cases in Al-Baha region,” he said.
