Alexandria Flood Business as usual and a Grain of Egyptian Humor

Fahwad Al-Khadoumi (nsnbc) : Heavy rainfall and floods in Alexandria have created a local disaster. The sewer system could not cope, streets and buildings flooded, buildings collapsed, thousands evacuated, funds were allocated to develop the sewage network and, we must notice that Egyptians have had thousands of years to cope with floods and develop their own humor about them. It could have happened during one of the old Egyptian Dynasties as well as it could, and indeed did happen in 2015. Egypt equals life-giving and disastrous floods. 

Egyptian Prime Minister Sherif Ismail ordered that 75 million EGP ($ 9.8 million) be allocated to develop the sewage network in Alexandria in the wake of the recent heavy rainfall and thunderstorm report The Cairo Post and Youm7.

Alexandria and Beheira, along with other Egyptian governorates were hit with a second round of heavy rainfall and thunderstorms  Tuesday night, leaving streets flooded with rainwater due to the lack of proper drainage systems.

The cartoon above shows two fishermen, casting their lines on both sides of a divider next to the Mediterranean. Courtesy The Cairo Post.

The cartoon above shows two fishermen, casting their lines on both sides of a divider next to the Mediterranean. Courtesy The Cairo Post.

The Health Ministry announced that the weather and floods have cost the lives of 10 and injured 25 in the Alexandria and Beheira governorates.

The flooding also caused several power outages, which may not surprise anyone. Water and electricity – not good at all.

On Wednesday a total of 5,000 homes in Alexandria have been ordered evacuated by a decree issued by PM Sherif Ismail.

October 27 The Cairo Post reported on Ismail’s admission of the government’s failure to handle the heavy rainfall. The PM was quoted as saying:

“The amount of rainwater fell over several parts of Alexandria during the past two days was out of our expectations. Preparations to deal with such amount of rain were not enough.”

Alexandria Governor Hani el-Messiry submitted his resignation Cabinet, after the flooding crisis; the cabinet approved it.

A politician in a rowboat says “People just like to exaggerate.” - Courtesy The Cairo Post.

A politician in a rowboat says “People just like to exaggerate.” – Courtesy The Cairo Post.

Although there are no historical records that we are aware of, the crisis could as well have played out during one of Egypt’s Pharaonic dynasties. That is, the removal of a local governor included.

Egypt has both been blessed and cursed with water. Heavy rainfall and the waters of the Nile have been at the root of Egypt’s culture, religion, civilization and prosperity.

Another analog to ancient Egyptian history may be the propensity to invest in mega-projects and the propensity to neglect with regard to the general population’s housing.

Although it is an assumption only, it would not be surprising at all if Egyptologists and archaeologists would discover ancient graffiti that reflects humor and irony about the political aspects of the flood, that are similar to the 2015 cartoons about “The Great Flood of Alexandria – 2015″.

To top the irony, one just has to add that Egypt plans to build nuclear reactors, apparently forgetting two things, or three. 1) The half-life of Plutonium and other isotopes that have to be stored safely for tens or hundreds of thousands of years. 2) The fact that geological and climate records show that large swaps of Northern Africa, with regular intervals, have turned and will turn into vast lakes. 3) It can rain, even in sunny Egypt. It all reminds me about an old Frank Zappa song “It can’t happen here”. 

F/AK – nsnbc 06.11.2015

Source Article from http://nsnbc.me/2015/11/06/alexandria-flood-business-as-usual-and-a-grain-of-egyptian-humor/

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