Dr. Manal Awad, Minister of Local Development and Environment, has directed governorates to take all necessary proactive measures to prepare for the 2026/2027 heavy rainfall and flash flood season, review plans and response scenarios for potential risks, and ensure the readiness of protection systems, equipment, and emergency response teams. These measures aim to ensure rapid response to weather-related incidents, strengthen coordination between governorates and relevant authorities, and enable executive agencies to address rainwater accumulation and potential flood risks promptly, minimizing their impact on citizens’ movement, public utilities, and services. These efforts are being undertaken in line with the directives of the President of the Republic to raise preparedness levels for various risks and emergencies, protect citizens and property, and ensure the continuity of essential services.
The Minister received a report from Dr. Saeed Helmy Abdel Khalek, Head of the Integrated Local Planning and Development Sector, outlining the measures and coordination efforts that governorates have been instructed to undertake. This comes as part of the central monitoring of emergency preparedness and response systems, in coordination with the Ministry’s National Network for Emergency and Public Safety Control Center.
The Minister stressed that early preparation for the rainy and flash flood season is one of the most important elements of crisis management. She explained that the primary objective of the ongoing measures is to shift from responding to incidents after they occur to proactive preparedness by reviewing infrastructure, equipment, and emergency plans, and by clearly defining roles, deployment locations, and coordination mechanisms to enhance governorates’ ability to respond rapidly.
She emphasized the importance of continued coordination between the Ministry, governorates, and all relevant authorities, as well as the regular monitoring of preparedness plans. These measures primarily aim to protect lives and property, maintain the efficiency of public utilities and services, and reduce the potential impact of heavy rainfall and flash floods on residential areas, roads, and facilities, thereby ensuring service stability and strengthening governorates’ capacity to manage emergencies and achieve safer, more sustainable local development.
Dr. Saeed Helmy Abdel Khalek, Head of the Integrated Local Planning and Development Sector, explained that the Ministry had instructed governorates to review and update their plans and response scenarios for potential risks during the rainy and flash flood season, drawing on lessons learned from the previous season and updating coordination protocols with neighboring governorates. This is intended to ensure clear response plans for various potential scenarios and enable rapid action whenever necessary.
He added that governorates had been instructed to form joint committees to conduct field inspections of protective measures against heavy rainfall and flash floods, and to establish specific inspection schedules in coordination with the relevant authorities. These inspections will assess the readiness of drainage stations, the efficiency of backup electricity generators and pumps, and the condition of cleaning and maintenance works involving flood channels, culverts, canals, drains, dams, and barriers. They will also review drainage system closures in cities and villages served by sewage networks.
Approved reports will be prepared documenting observations, recommendations, and outstanding measures that must be completed before the start of the season.
The Ministry has also directed governorates to strengthen coordination with the Forecasting Center at the Water Resources Research Institute, the Egyptian Meteorological Authority, and the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation. Coordination among directorates and relevant authorities within each governorate will also be reinforced. In addition, simulation exercises will be conducted to test responses to potential heavy rainfall and flash flood risks, assess the readiness of emergency response systems, and establish roles and responsibilities in advance.
The Head of the Sector further explained that teams from the Ministry of Local Development and Environment will conduct field visits to governorates to assess preparedness levels, review the measures implemented to address observations and recommendations identified in field inspection reports, and help overcome any obstacles that governorates may face in carrying out their preparedness plans.
As part of the central monitoring system, the Ministry has directed continuous coordination with its National Network for Emergency and Public Safety Control Center before and during responses to any risks associated with heavy rainfall and flash floods, continuing until the emergency has ended. This will ensure the rapid exchange of information, real-time monitoring of developments, and enhanced coordination between the Ministry, governorates, and relevant authorities.
🖋️Source: The National Media Authority online portal
