Saudi Gazette report MAKKAH — Director General of the Urban Planning Administration in Makkah Municipality Fayiz Kansarah said the leveling of mountains increases the risks of earthquakes, especially the leveled areas are not utilized properly for development projects, Makkah daily reported. Kansarah said the municipality has started carrying out plans for protecting the topography of Makkah including its mountainous nature, as leveling of the mountains increases the risk of earthquakes due to interference in its geomorphology and structure. Kansarah stressed the removal of Jabal Omar was for public interest in order to carry out the expansion of the Grand Mosque and the need for flat land to construct roads and bridges. At the same time, he said Al-Sudan and Khandamah mountains will not be leveled. He said Mount Khandamah located to the southeast of the Grand Mosque will be leveled, planned and prepared for development without affecting the natural formation and morphology. Kansarah said there are plans to assign contractors to deal with the highlands and mountains of Makkah according to the objectives of Makkah Municipality to protect Makkah's nature without hindering development projects.
