Amman: The Ministry of Public Works and Housing has raised the emergency levels to medium in the southern governorates to deal with the expected weather conditions over the next two days.
In a statement issued on Monday evening, the ministry explained that emergency levels are divided into three levels according to the ministry’s plans: light, medium, and severe. Light levels are in effect at the beginning of winter and end at the season’s conclusion. Medium levels are announced by order of the minister of public works and according to the forecasts issued by the Jordan Meteorological Department for moderate depressions, which are characterized by heavy rains, non-accumulating snowfall, and light water accumulations. Severe levels are announced by order of the minister for severe depressions that cause snow accumulations, collapses, floods, and road closures.
The ministry urged citizens to be cautious and stay away from valeys and streambeds, and to report any emergencies by contacting the ministry’s main o
perations room and the operations rooms in the governorates, or through the ministry’s notifications system on smartphones.
The ministry had anticipated the winter with a comprehensive emergency plan that included the establishment of operations rooms in various directorates of public works, carrying out the necessary maintenance of wadis, streambeds, and bridges, and securing the machinery that may be needed to deal with different weather conditions.
The ministry also updated and developed its main operations room and equipped it with modern communication devices. In addition, all directors of public works and offices were equipped with wireless communication devices to facilitate the flow of information between different cadres on site. The ministry also updated its emergency notifications application on smartphones to increase interaction with citizens and accelerate the response to incoming reports.
The preparations included the preparation of 119 field teams in various areas, supported by about 430 ma
chines. The ministry also coordinated with the Contractors Syndicate and contractors of the ministry’s projects under construction to provide the ministry with any machinery, equipment, or personnel if necessary.
The ministry urged citizens to use the following numbers for the main emergency room and operations rooms in the directorates and offices of public works: Unified number 106.
Source: Jordan News Agency