level committee formed by King Abdullah to investigate the Jeddah flood disaster held its first meeting Saturday during which it outlined an agenda for the investigation of the disaster that has claimed 113 lives and counting, Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah said. The Emir was speaking to a press conference shortly after the first two-hour-long meeting of the committee at the Makkah Emirate headquarters in Jeddah. In its first meeting, the committee formed sub-committees and laid down its future agenda and mechanism in order to be able to issue its results and recommendations as soon as possible as ordered by the King, Prince Khaled said. The work of the committee, in fact, started immediately after the King's order, the Emir said. Upon its formation, the committee worked to shelter the flood-hit families, provide them with food and cash allowances, and pay the SR1 million in blood money ordered by the King to the families of each victim, he said. The King's historic order to determine the real cause of the disaster and who or what was responsible for it has been widely welcomed by the public, Prince Khaled said. “It was a great gesture from the King that has resulted in widespread public appreciation and positive feelings,” he said. The committee was convened with the presence of Prince Abdullah Bin Fahd, Deputy of Makkah Emirate for Security Affairs; Saleh Al-Ali, Chairman of the Control and Investigation Commission; Ahmad Abdulqadir, Deputy Chairman of the General Control Court; Gen. Sa'ad Al-Tuweijiri, Chief of Civil Defense; Gen. Saleh Al-Qiniaeer from General Intelligence; Abdulaziz Al-Khudairi, Deputy of Makkah Emirate; Abdulmohsin Al-Musad, Acting Deputy of Justice for Judicial Affairs; Lt. Gen. Ali Al-Shuwaiel, Chief of Administrative Intelligence; and Lt. Gen. Ali Al-Qarni, Chief of Secret Police in the Makkah Region. The committee is scheduled to meet on a daily basis until the investigation has been completed.
