Several parts of Cairo and Giza were inundated with heavy downpours late on Tuesday, which flooded roads, cut electricity, and caused building roofs to buckle. The rainwater brought traffic to a standstill on thoroughfares throughout Greater Cairo, as well as parts of the Ring Road and the Autostrad. Many people took to social media to complain that provincial officials and emergency departments failed to provide them with assistance. Others said vacuum trucks were not dispatched to their areas to remove rainwater from the streets. Residents of the 5th Settlement suburb of Cairo shared videos and photos online showing flooded streets and garages, with water levels rising to over one meter, partially submerging cars. Commuters on the road told Ahram Online that it took them up to seven hours to get home. Even passengers using Cairo's underground metro were not spared the long delays, as power outage at the south end of the network held up trains, causing congestion on platforms. Some residents in suburbs of Cairo told Ahram Online that they have suffered up to 20-hour power cuts as a result of the weather conditions. "We have had no electricity since 8pm yesterday," said Abeer Mohamed, a resident of the 5th Settlement district in eastern Cairo. The American University in Cairo said in a brief statement on its official Facebook page that it is supending classes and events on both its New Cairo and downtown Cairo campuses on Thursday "as a result of the extereme weather." The head of Egypt's Meteorological Authority Ahmed Abdel-Aal said late on Tuesday that the unstable weather is expected to continue through Thursday, with rainfall predicted across several parts of the country. Torrential rains are forecast in some areas, although temperatures are not expected to decline, he added. The capital Cairo and the Nile Delta are expected to see slightly warmer highs of 30 degrees Celsius and lows of 17 C on Thursday. Cities along the northern coast will see highs of 24-25 C and lows of 16 C. Temperatures are expected to rise by 1-3 degrees over the weekend.
