Rain emergency teams in various municipalities across the country continued to work round the clock to remove rainwater that had accumulated in different places in order to maintain safe and smooth traffic circulation.
Safar Mubarak al-Shafi, director of the General Cleanliness Department at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) and head of the rain emergency committee, said more than 12.9mn gallons of rainwater had been drained out in different municipalities from Saturday dawn until evening.
He said the water was removed in 2,693 batches through the use of 251 tankers and 30 water pumps.
Heavy rain in Doha on Saturday. PICTURE: Jayan Orma
Also, 527 field teams were deployed to respond to all the reports received at the operations centre, numbering around 186.
Operations to remove rainwater were still continuing, the MME said in a statement.
Efforts exerted by the ministry in co-ordination with all parties concerned in the State helped ensure smooth traffic flow around the country, it was observed.
Thunderstorms and rain of varied intensity were recorded from Doha and other parts of the country on Saturday, especially in the morning hours.
The skies started clearing later.
Rainwater removal in progress.
The Qatar Met department highlighted rainfall figures in a post on social media on Saturday morning, noting that Batna had received around 19.6mm of rain until then, Abu Hamour and Ghuwairiya 10.8mm each, Ras Laffan 10.2mm, Ruwais 7.9mm, Doha International Airport area 7.6mm and Mesaieed 7.1mm.
Different places in Qatar had received showers the previous night and early hours of Saturday as well.
The Met department had earlier said unsettled weather and thunderstorms were expected during the weekend, with the chances of rain peaking until Saturday evening.
While there is no warning for inshore areas on Sunday, the Met department has said thundery rain is expected in offshore areas in the early hours of the day, followed by strong winds and high seas by the afternoon.
Kids enjoying the showers. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil
The wind speed may go up to 34 knots offshore, with the sea level rising to 9ft.
Fine conditions will prevail offshore later in the day following a chance of scattered rain at first, which may be thundery.
Today's forecast also says it will be partly cloudy inshore and there is a chance of light rain in some places in the early hours, followed by relatively a hot day and mild conditions by night.
The minimum temperature is expected to be 21C in Doha, Wakrah and other places on Sunday, while the maximum will range from 28C in Ruwais to 30C in Abu Samra, with Doha expected to see a high of 29C.
Saturday, the minimum temperature was 19C in Batna and 21C in Doha.
The maximum, on the other hand, was 27C in the Qatar University area and 26C in Doha and other places.
