‘Aqaba authorities preparing for potential flash floods’

AMMAN — Authorities in Aqaba are taking measures to mitigate damage caused by rainy season flash floods, said Khalil Farrayeh, spokesperson for the state-run Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC), on Thursday.

Last rainy season, the city, 330km south of Amman, and surrounding areas witnessed heavy downpours which flooded streets and neighbourhoods.

Projects to improve the sewage system, increase drainage and elevate street levels were recently finished and are now in operation, Farrayeh said, adding that these projects were carried out by private companies.

Rainwater gathering in the mountains and flooding the city is another recurring problem. 

The Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) has recently floated tenders for the construction of 10 dams for water collection, to be followed by tenders for 20 more dams, the official said. 

“Work on some of the dams is already under way,” Farrayeh told The Jordan Times, adding that collected water in the dams will be used for irrigation and for landscaping projects in Aqaba, where large amounts of water are needed.

Last year, Aqaba received 45 millimetres of rain in two hours, said the official, citing this as a key concern of local residents. 

“This year, we have taken the necessary measures to prevent floods,” he noted.

As well as preventing flooding, Farrayeh also said ASEZA has recently floated a tender to build a 1,300-capacity stadium that meets international standards, including additional facilities and two football pitches for training. 

The authority has also floated another tender to establish a business centre to train recent graduates and owners of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on a 10 dunums plot of land.

The centre will include a business incubator for SMEs, training areas for recent graduates of several specialties, and cafés, restaurants and shops.

The ADC was launched in 2004 by ASEZA and the government.

It owns Aqaba’s seaport, airport and strategic parcels of land as well as the development and management rights for these assets, in addition to key infrastructure and utilities, according to its website.