SUNDAY OCTOBER 21, 2018 SAFAR 12, 1440 VOL.12 NO. 4429 QR 2 THUNDERY RAIN Fajr: 4:18 am Dhuhr: 11:20 am HIGH : 34°C Asr: 2:37 pm Maghrib: 5:03 pm LOW : 28°C Isha: 6:33 pm Europe 11 Business 12 Sports 16 Over half a million march to Milaha to continue expanding Qatar coach pep talks his boys demand second Brexit vote fleet, says CEO ahead of Indonesia U-19 clash Roads to be clear of rainwater today PM visits Ashghal’s control Saturday’s rain three times Ashghal working on permanent room to oversee mitigation heavier than usual average solution to waterlogging Qatar drenched as a year’s rain falls in one day DOHA Qatar was hit by widespread flash flooding on Saturday as it received almost a year’s worth of rainfall in one day. Roads became impassable, air traffic was disrupted and homes were flooded, while shops and universities closed. Al Jazeera’s senior meteorologist Steff Gaulter tweeted that one part of the capital Doha had experienced almost a year’s worth of rain on Saturday. “Abu Hamour now reporting 59.8mm. (Doha average annual rainfall is 77mm.),” she wrote. By early evening it was estimated that 61mm of rain had fallen. Qatar Airways has diverted some flights. Some Qatar-bound flights were diverted to Kuwait and Iran and the airline warned its passengers to expect further problems. “Due to weather conditions over Doha, flights are subject to delays for departure and arrivals,” Qatar Airways said on Twitter. Sunday will be a Adverse weather to regular school day continue until Monday ADVERSE weather conditions in Qatar, which DOHA Sunday will be a regular school day in was marked by torrential rains, flooding and Qatar, the Ministry of Education and Higher thunderstorms on Saturday, will continue Education said on Saturday. until Monday, according to the Civil Aviation There will be no suspension of classes on Authority (CAA). Scattered thunderstorms, ac- account of the rains, it added. companied by strong wind at times, are likely However, the ministry said, some schools to continue, causing rising dust and poor vis- will not be able to receive students on Sunday ibility in places, the CAA said on Twitter, citing because of the rain-induced practical difficul- the latest weather charts. Qatar Meteorology Minister of Municipality and Environment HE Mohammed bin Abdullah al Rumaihi oversees control-room operations tackling rain-related issues ties and that parents of children studying in Department urged all to be cautious, and in Doha on Saturday. such schools have been informed about it. avoid marine activities. HISHAM ALJUNDI downpour. said, adding that it would take continuous follow-up around nation continues between the solve the problems of water DOHA The rainfall that Qatar re- some time for the large quanti- The Ministry of Municipality the clock,” he assured. ministries of the municipality, harvesting in the main roads by ceived on Saturday was three ties of water to be completely and Environment on The minister said the vari- environment and interior dur- morning (on Sunday),” he said. PRIME Minister and Minister times greater then the usual pumped out. ous municipalities worked in ing the rainy season through He pointed out that the Pub- of Interior HE Sheikh Abdul- average, Minister of Munici- The volume of rainfall is Saturday deployed more coordination and were able to the National Command Center lic Works Authority is working lah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al pality and Environment HE much greater than expected at than 450 tankers and 85 respond to 500 distress calls to (NCC), which brings together all to develop permanent solutions Thani visited the Public Works Mohammed bin Abdullah al this time of the year, he said. pump-mounted vehicles to Ashghal from areas including Al service providers in the country. for the draining of rainwater. Authority’s (Ashghal) control Rumaihi said. The ministry has deployed drain water from roads Shamal , Al Khor, Al Wakra and “In order to reduce the ef- The Mesaimeer tunnel will room in Doha following the Highlighting the rain-mit- more than 450 tankers and Al Shahaniya during the rain. fects of the rains, work is under- become functional after the unprecedented rains through- igation efforts initiated by the 85 pump-mounted vehicles to Ashghal Chairman Dr. Eng. way to expand the drainage net- completion of an estuary, which out the country on Saturday. ministry, Rumaihi said, “All drain the water from the roads, around 86mm in those places. Saad bin Ahmed al Mohannadi work through the establishment will absorb surface water from He oversaw the opera- roads and tunnels will be cleared the minister added. It usually does not exceed 30 said the volume of rain that fell of a seaport as part of the Me- sub-networks located in differ- tions of the emergency teams by the morning (on Sunday).” Abu Hamour, Muaither mm. during the day outweigh the vol- saimeer tunnel project, which ent locations, stretching over to clear the rainwater from the All pumps in the sew- and Madinat Khalifa were However, the minister ume of rain Doha received in the will be completed in 2020. At 170 square kilometres. It will re- roads and other public places age networks and drainage some of the worst-hit ar- stressed that the situation was whole year. the moment, we are working duce rainwater pools, especially and limit the impact of the systems are working well, he eas, with water level reaching under control. “There will be He pointed out that coordi- hard to work out 24 hours to in the tunnels. PAGE 20 Amiri Naval Forces head meets Fifth Fleet commander QND Organising Commander of the Qatar Qatar’s banking system can absorb Committee unveils Amiri Naval Forces HE slew of events for Major General Abdullah education sector bin Hassan al Sulaiti has any shocks: QCB’s Sheikh Abdullah met with Commander of THE Qatar National Day the US Fifth Fleet, Admiral QNA tries has faded with the continu- of these standards is the Inter- Organising Committee Scott Sterne, at Qatar Amiri DOHA ation of the siege. national Financial Reporting 2018 has unveiled an Naval Forces headquar- Sheikh Abdullah noted Standard (IFRS) No.9, which is array of activities for the ters. They discussed the QATAR’S banking system can that the improvement in the related to financial instruments education sector during cooperation between the easily face unfavourable circum- efficiency of the bank- and financial provisions,” he the celebrations of the Qatar Amiri Naval Forces stances as the banks operating ing sector has helped said. national event in December. and its US counterpart. in the country, both local and enhance the ability of He pointed out that THE events are designed The fight against terrorism foreign, have high capitalisation banks to absorb any the stress tests carried out in a way to enable people to and operations of CTF152 that enables them to tackle in- shocks through the by the QCB are based express their love and loyalty to group, of which Qatar is a ternal and external risks, Qatar application of on the maximum as- Qatar’s wise leadership in line member, were also some of Central Bank (QCB) Governor the latest in- sumptions of shocks with the vision behind Qatar the subjects under discus- Sheikh Abdullah bin Saoud al ternational to the banks National Day celebrations, which sion, besides the future Thani has said. supervisory whether through seeks to represent people’s joint bilateral projects. The QCB governor stressed standards. internal or ex- unity as well as their pride in PAGE 2 that the exposure of Qatari “An ternal factors. the national identity of banks to the blockading coun- example PAGE 12 Qatar. PAGE 20 After weeks of lying, Saudi finally admits Khashoggi is dead But the kingdom claims the Riyadh critic got killed US President Donald Spain’s government said on Saturday it was Trump says Saudi expla- “dismayed” by information from Riyadh in a fist fight inside Istanbul consulate nation is credible and Amnesty International says Saudi explanation an “important first step” AFP nalist's body. appeared to be a whitewash of “an appalling RIYADH "Discussions that took place be- assassination”. tween him and the persons who met German Chancellor Angela EU Parliament calls for clarification on circum- SAUDI Arabia admitted on Satur- him... at the Saudi consulate in Is- Merkel says Khashoggi stances of Khashoggi’s death day that critic Jamal Khashoggi was tanbul led to a brawl and a fistfight killers must ‘answer for Regional allies - including Egypt, Bahrain and killed inside its Istanbul consulate, with the citizen, Jamal Khashoggi, their actions’ UAE- issued statements in praise of the king but mystery surrounded the where- which led to his death, may his soul abouts of his body as Turkey kept rest in peace," the attorney general up its investigation. said in a statement. Riyadh pro- In the latest version of events vided no evidence to support its ac- Blame pinned on favoured general from Riyadh, Saudi Attorney Gen- count of the circumstances that led Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman appears to have bowed to US pressure to eral Sheikh Saud al-Mojeb said to Khashoggi’s death and it was still blame one of his favoured generals for the death of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi died after talks at the unclear whether other governments Khashoggi. Gen Ahmed al-Assiri, the deputy head of Saudi intelligence and consulate degenerated into a physi- would be satisfied with it. a figure close to crown prince Mohammed bin Salman has been cal altercation. He did not disclose sacked following Khashoggi’s death.