HIBAPRESS
Abdel Latif Sudo, a state engineer specializing in water engineering, revealed details related to one of the main causes of the floods that the city of Asfi witnessed at the end of last week.
Sudo, a graduate of the Hassanian School of Public Works and who has 34 years of experience, said in a post published on his "Facebook" account that he received a video clip explaining the serious mistake that was committed and had a negative impact during the floods.
Sudo added that there is a concrete block blocking the outlet of Wadi Al-Shaaba towards the sea, following that this industrial concrete block, available in various geometric shapes, is used to create effective shields against waves.
He explained that thanks to its unique shape, which makes it overlap, the block forms a shield that dissipates the energy of the waves and reduces their impact on the coast, thus protecting the coastal infrastructure, including the road, pointing out that these blocks are made to order (usually in tons), using specific metal molds to suit local conditions.
He pointed out that the location of the block is not inside the outlet, because its presence there hindered the natural flow of water, because it contributed to weakening the water flow inside the outlet to less than 10 percent, which can drop to 1 percent after the solid load of water is attached between the concrete block and the sides of the outlet.
Sudo affirmed in the same post that all this affected the water outlet and caused it to accumulate before the outlet in the square, and contributed to the rise in the water level inside the old city, and thus there became a trap for those who do not know how to swim, because they will simply drown in the artificial lake as a result of the accumulation of water.
He pointed out that the questions that must be asked by those concerned are "Why was there no maintenance of the outlet and removal of the concrete block? Who is responsible for placing the block inside the outlet? Is it by an actor? Or is it the force of the waves over time?", before concluding that "In all cases, this is a serious mistake that the Public Prosecution will play its role in analyzing and arranging responsibility."
