Dubai Creek clean-up to prevent winter flooding

Sewage and debris are being removed from Dubai Creek as part of a mass clean-up operation by the city municipality.

DUBAI // A mass clean-up operation is under way at Dubai Creek to reduce the risk of flooding during the winter.

In preparation for the cooler and rainier months, Dubai Municipality’s waste management department has begun cleaning the rainwater drainage holes at the Creek to remove sewage and debris that may obstruct the flow of water.

This should prevent flooding during rainy spells, the municipality said.

Abdul Majeed Saifaie, the director of the waste management department, said the operation was an annual procedure.

He added that the team of technicians and cleaners took into account the times of the ebbing tide, the flow and water level. The clean-up also required the closure of all water pumping ports in cooperation with the Sewerage and Irrigation Network Department.

Yaqoub Mohammed Al Ali, head of the cleaning section at the municipality, said barriers and bumpers would be placed on the Creek’s surface where debris accumulated to help prevent the spread of waste.

He said workers this year were using a new submarine boat to remove the residuals left after accidents in the waterways outside the Creek.

During the first half of this year, 283 tonnes of debris and sewage was removed from the Creek.