In the wake of public criticism, the Civil Defense has defended its rescue operations during and after the massive floods in the city. Brigadier Muhammad Abdullah Al-Qarni, Director of the Media Center at the General Directorate of Civil Defense, said he believes his men did a good job considering the magnitude of the disaster. He was speaking at a press conference in the Support Center at the Old Airport in Jeddah. “When we were assured that there would be no risk to the lives of our men, we intervened in an organized and considered manner and succeeded in rescuing many people with our land and air teams.” Al-Qarni said the Civil Defense has provided shelter for more than 2,512 families consisting of 10,968 individuals. He said the Civil Defense has now recommended setting up concrete barriers in Jeddah's eastern valleys. The organization has identified all the valleys considered to be a threat to the Governorate. This information has been passed on to the Emir of Makkah. The building of dams and barriers will be used for more than protection. It will also serve as a way to store water for the city, he added. In response to a question, Al-Qarni said he was confident that the Civil Defense could evacuate many districts and residential areas close to Misk Lake, where the city's raw sewage is contained. There are seven districts and residential areas close to the lake. “We are monitoring the water level of the lake closely. There are well-defined criteria through which we can gauge and evaluate the level of danger posed by the lake. If any defect is discovered, there are immediate measures we can undertake as part of our evacuation plan.” “I would like to explain a very important point, that not all these districts are susceptible to danger if the [banks of the lake collapses]. It should be understood that there are safe areas in these districts, and we have over 50 vehicles equipped with sirens which can [be used as a warning measure] if the need arises.” He said that the Lake is 15 km from the nearest residential districts. In addition, there is a telecommunications network in these districts that can be used to warn residents in the event of an emergency. He said the situation at the lake was “reassuring”. Al-Qarni said that the Civil Defense also has the support of additional forces based in Makkah to deal with future disasters. Many of these teams operate during Haj. The organization can also draw on reserve machinery, for search and rescue operations, at its warehouse in Hada, he said. “Let's pray to Allah we do not need it. It should also be understood that our leaders are following our efforts closely.” Al-Qarni also pointed out that the Civil Defense has a network of emergency teams in six regions. “These forces include specialist engineers and academics who can deal with 18 flashpoints simultaneously. This includes petroleum and tunnel fires, rescue operations in high buildings, dealing with radioactive and chemical substances, tackling of floods and rainstorms, forest fires, mountain rescue, and bridge and tunnel collapses.” He defended the Civil Defense against criticism - reportedly by the country's Human Rights body - for its allegedly poor response to the floods and lack of effective rescue operations in the affected districts. He admitted that there were “negative aspects” to the organization's work, but this could be seen as the “beginning of success”. He said the organization has trained staff to deal with emergencies. Over the past four years more than 9,000 people who completed their secondary studies were recruited. In addition, more than 200 staff members have degrees in engineering and geology. Many PhD holders have also been employed by the Civil Defense, he added. When the floods hit Jeddah, the Civil Defense was supported by 100 officers and over 500 lower-ranked officers. This was in addition to the existing force of 150 officers and 1,500 non-commissioned officers. The Civil Defense also sought the help of experts to help recover and identify the 108 people who died. He said 54 Saudis and 35 expatriates have been identified so far. The rest are in the process of being identified. The Civil Defense has a mechanism to deal with the dead. Telephone calls are made to the families of missing people to ask them to identify bodies. The bodies are kept until they are identified. He said 84 committees have been formed to determine the extent of the damage. Several affected areas in 55 districts in Jeddah have been identified. More than 5,024 houses and more than 4,690 vehicles have been affected by the floods. He said there was no need to set up extra shelters because of the availability of furnished flats and hotels. If needed, the Civil Defense could use wedding halls and schools to accommodate victims. However, there was a proposal on the table to set up shelters, one in east Jeddah near the Harmain Road, a second in the north and a third one in the south.
