Flash floods and diplomatic links
The Ministry of Regional Municipalities, Environment and Water Resources (MRMEWR) in co-operation with the Teheran-based Regional Centre for Urban Water Management (RCUWM), and the Inter-Islamic Network on Water Resources Development and Management (INWRDM), Jordan, organised an international workshop in Muscat last week focussing on how to harness the water released during flash floods and on building the infrastructure to prevent the damage and loss of life that can be caused by such events. Oman Observer, 5th September 2006.
Dr Reza Ardakanian, Director of Iran’s RCUWM, said the number of deaths due to floods globally had been rising. He emphasised that increasing urbanisation and land development in flood prone areas had significantly raised the risk of flash floods in recent decades.
Abdullah bin Nasser Al Bakri, Under-Secretary for Water Resources Affairs at MRMEWR, referred to “statistics which show that between 1991 and 2000 more than 655,000 people died in 2,557 natural disasters of which 90 per cent were water related. Virtually all of the victims, 97 per cent, were from developing countries.”
Flash floods in Oman are some of the most powerful in the world. The Sultanate has built a series of recharge dams in major wadis both north and south of the Hajar mountains as well as south of the Jabal Qara in Dhofar, in a bid both to dampen the impact of flood flows, and to still the water sufficiently so that it can percolate into groundwater rather than rush to the sea.
As I recall, the jury was still out on whether these dams are truly cost-effective, given the expense of construction compared with the value derived from the quantity of the water that they might impound, to agriculture and the economy downstream. Nevertheless, these barriers, provided that they are adequately maintained, can prevent a destructive rush of flood waters to urban areas below the dams.
Amongst the dignitaries attending the workshop was the Iranian Energy Minister and chairman of RCUWM, Parviz Fatah.
Dr Reza Ardakanian, Director of Iran’s RCUWM, said the number of deaths due to floods globally had been rising. He emphasised that increasing urbanisation and land development in flood prone areas had significantly raised the risk of flash floods in recent decades.
Abdullah bin Nasser Al Bakri, Under-Secretary for Water Resources Affairs at MRMEWR, referred to “statistics which show that between 1991 and 2000 more than 655,000 people died in 2,557 natural disasters of which 90 per cent were water related. Virtually all of the victims, 97 per cent, were from developing countries.”
Flash floods in Oman are some of the most powerful in the world. The Sultanate has built a series of recharge dams in major wadis both north and south of the Hajar mountains as well as south of the Jabal Qara in Dhofar, in a bid both to dampen the impact of flood flows, and to still the water sufficiently so that it can percolate into groundwater rather than rush to the sea.
As I recall, the jury was still out on whether these dams are truly cost-effective, given the expense of construction compared with the value derived from the quantity of the water that they might impound, to agriculture and the economy downstream. Nevertheless, these barriers, provided that they are adequately maintained, can prevent a destructive rush of flood waters to urban areas below the dams.
Amongst the dignitaries attending the workshop was the Iranian Energy Minister and chairman of RCUWM, Parviz Fatah.
