Last week's rain in Sinai and Aswan Governorate caused about LE400 million in damages, say preliminary reports by the cabinet's Operations Room. The Operations Room estimates that 1132 houses were completely destroyed, 345 houses partly destroyed, 97 roads blocked, 7233 feddans of agricultural land damaged, 82 electricity towers toppled, and more than 13,000 olive, palm and citrus trees uprooted. Losses incurred by factories were estimated at LE20 million. The total amount required to fix the transmission towers, power stations, sanitary drainage, drinking water, and gas networks is estimated at LE100 million. At least ten people died as a result of the floods. The cabinet will meet Wednesday to discuss how to the effects of the flooding, as well as ways to prevent damage during future rains. The cabinet will also examine the possibility of relocating buildings that are threatened by flooding, and will discuss building new houses for flood victims in Aswan, Qena, and Arish rather than offering financial compensation. The meeting also seeks to determine problems facing industry as a result of the flooding. Electrical lines in Aswan were badly damaged by the showers, particularly the 500-volt line from the High Dam that passes through Upper Egypt on its way to Cairo. Work is currently ongoing to repair the damages and construct new towers. In the village of Abu Sweira in Ras Sedr in South Sinai, the rain caused a sinkhole that led to the explosion of an oil pipe. The pipe has leaked oil along a three kilometer stretch of Sinai. Meanwhile, Aswan Governor Mostafa el-Sayed criticized the "contradictory statements" given by the Egyptian Meteorological Authority and demanded greater accuracy in weather forecasts. El-Sayed said that the authority had incorrectly predicted more showers on Thursday in the governorates of Sinai, Aswan, and Red Sea, as well as Cairo and Alexandria. El-Sayed also said that he did not receive warnings about the showers, adding that the meteorological authority only said the weather would be "changeable." Translated from the Arabic Edition.
