By Joey Aguilar/Staff Reporter
While flooding from the heavy downpour of Wednesday subsided in some places in Doha on Thursday, the Civil Defence continued deploying a number of trucks to clear other flooded roads, commercial and residential areas.
Only light and intermittent rain was received on Thursday in Qatar, especially at Mesaieed, Al Khor, Dukhan and Abu Samra.
Philippine School of Doha (PSD) principal Alexander Acosta told Gulf Times that a truck helped cleared flooded premises of the school, as well as its classrooms by around 8am.
“Now, everything is clean and ready for the classes next week. If not for the trucks, our premises would have remained waterlogged for many days,” he said. On Wednesday, water from the rain had reached knee-high in the PSD campus.
Acosta said the Supreme Education Council also lauded their decision to prioritise the safety of students and employees during the onslaught of heavy rains.
Rain water which accumulated in some areas such as Al Messilah (where PSD is situated), Al Hilal, and Abu Hamour, among others, was cleared by Civil Defence trucks.
“In the morning, we had a hard time crossing the road from the Airport Park to our building and many motorists were stuck on the traffic waiting for their turn to park, but in the afternoon it was gone,” one of the employees said yesterday.
Some commuters had also seen a number of trucks clearing flooded streets in Al Mamoura such as Ibn Al Abbas and Al Maadeed.
The flooding on Al Waab and Abu Hamour road leading to the wholesale market had also subsided. However, many areas in the Industrial Area and Aziziya have remained flooded yesterday.
In some of the old buildings in the city, business establishments such as salons have remained closed yesterday due to flooding.
One salon owner in Muntaza said their building was too old and lacked proper maintenance. “We hope to find a new or better building in the coming months,” she added.
Some areas in Doha such as Bin Mahmoud were spared from flooding due to the presence of a drainage system. Meanwhile, it was business as usual yesterday at Villaggio, Dar Al Salam and Ezdan, three of the major malls in Doha which were affected by heavy rains.
A staff member at one of the outlets told Gulf Times that Villaggio reopened at around 2pm on Wednesday, a few fours after some sections were partially flooded.
In Madinat Khalifa, maintenance personnel at the Traffic Department headquarters started fixing the ceiling of the building which was reported to have experienced leakage in the rain.
Operations of establishments in the city including commercial buildings (West Bay), eateries, government offices, car dealers, restaurants and hotels have remained normal since Wednesday afternoon.
Many events and activities will also push through over the weekend including ‘Qatar’s Strongest Man’ at Aspire Park today from 3pm.
The Indonesian embassy is also holding the ‘Wonderful Indonesia’ at Lagoona Mall until tomorrow. It showcases Indonesia's traditional dances, muslim fashion show, and arts and handicraft.
Energy World Qatar, an interactive exhibition for students and children taking place at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre, was not affected by the heavy rains and will continue welcoming visitors until tomorrow.
Those who want to buy handmade products from local artists in Doha may visit Katara – the Cultural Village’s Building 19 today for the QatArt Market from 3pm.
While the heavy rains caused inconveniences to many residents and business establishments, some people found it peaceful and an opportunity to spend time with their families.
“The rainy day gave some time to think, relax, meditate and even brought out something new within us – did things together with the family such as painting and bonding,” said Concon Ponce from the Qatar Professional Women’s Network.
