Rainfall to continue on Thursday; Traffic partially disrupted; Airport temporarily suspended
Thursday, November 15, 2018
Air traffic at the Kuwait International Airport has been suspended temporarily because of the current unstable weather conditions hitting the country, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said Wednesday evening.
Flights coming to Kuwait's airport have been transferred to some GCC airports due to the impacts of the heavy rains on the visibility, GDCA's deputy director general for the airport affairs Fahad Al-Wagyyan told KUNA in a statement.
The flights were transferred to Saudi Arabia's Al-Dammam and Riyadh airports, and Bahrain's Manama airport, he noted.
All flights departing from Kuwait were adjourned and all passengers were informed about new schedules, he pointed out.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior said some roads were totally closed to traffic and motorists had to take alternative roads due to the heavy downpour on Wednesday.
The closed roads include the section of King Abdulaziz Motorway to Al-Fahahil at Al-Damah neighborhood, King Fahad Motorway to Kuwait City at the exit of Beirut St., and the Fifth Ring Road to Al-Salmiya area at Al-Reg'ie-Al-Ardiya intersection, according to a statement by the Ministry.
These also include the Seventh Ring Road on both sides, King Abdulaziz Motorway to Kuwait City near Al-Fahahil Club, the Sixth Ring Road on both sides in front of Jaber Stadium, the tunnel of Al-Ghazali Motorway on both sides, and Abulqasim-Sixth Ring Road intersection.
The intersections of the Third Ring Road with Cairo St., the Third Ring Road with the Gulf St., the Second Ring Road with the Gulf St., and Al-Jahra Motorway with Al-Ghazali, as well as City Center Roundabout were also closed to traffic. The intersections of Jamal Abdulnasser St. with Al-Gazali Motorway to the Frist Ring Road, the First Ring Road with Cairo St., the First Ring Road with Al-Maghreb Motorway, and South Sabahiya with the Seaside Road from Hilton Kuwait Resort to the Sea Sport Club, as well as the Roundabout of Al-Mangaf and Al-Sabahiya. Traffic at these areas was diverted to alternative roads, the statement added.
Kuwait is still facing volatile weather conditions, and scattered rains are expected during day and night of Thursday, Dhrar Al-Ali, an official at Meteorological Department of Directorate General of Civil Aviation, said on Wednesday.
On Thursday, there would be thunder clouds, mainly during night, and a chance for scattered rains, ranging from moderate to heavy, he added. He added that the chances for rainfall would decline gradually on Friday.
On Saturday's weather, he predicted that it would be sunny with light northwesterly winds to moderate winds.
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