Saudi Arabia’s Municipal & Rural Affairs Ministry has awarded contracts worth a total of SR893.7m ($238.3m) to implement flood protection and drainage projects across the kingdom to increase protection against adverse weather.

The work involves installing two flood protection systems in the Medina province, located in the western part of the country, and drainage and flood protection systems in Al-Khobar in the Eastern Province.

The Medina schemes will involve the construction of flood protection infrastructure on Prince Naif Road, while the Al-Khobar projects will involve building floodwater drainage systems in Hofuz and Mobrez.

The projects are part of the kingdom’s efforts to offer increased protection from flash-flooding, which has caused substantial damage in the western and eastern areas of the country in recent years.

In July 2013, Mecca’s governor approved SR1.8bn of flood prevention projects for districts in Jeddah.

The projects have been planned to protect the Jeddah districts of Al-Khamra in the south and Wadi Kura in the north from flash floods. The scheme will involve the construction of open canals and is aimed to act as a preventive shield to protect the province from north to south.

In April 2012, the Jeddah Municipality awarded five deals worth a total of SR3.4bn to build floodwater prevention schemes in the province.

The work involves building five dams, expanding existing canals and building a new canal alongside King Abdulaziz International airport. Snamprogetti Saudi Arabia Company, a local subsidiary of Italy’s Saipem, was awarded a SR1.3bn deal to build a rainwater drainage system for the new Jeddah airport.