Mine blast wounds motorist; 761 rain damage claims filed
KUWAIT: A landmine blew up in Jraishan in northern Kuwait yesterday, injuring the Kuwaiti driver of a vehicle and setting it ablaze, the interior ministry said in a statement. The injured citizen was taken to hospital for treatment. The ministry has received over the past days many reports about unfamiliar objects, suspected to be abandoned military ordnance, the statement said, adding that experts were immediately dispatched to the locations and “tackled them”.
The ministry urged citizens and residents to call 112 if they find unfamiliar objects. The ministry, along with other Kuwaiti authorities, has repeatedly urged for caution after recent torrential rain swamped many areas and caused sand drifting, uncovering military ordnance including mines.
Most of the ordnance, located on Kuwaiti territories, were left behind by the Iraqi troops that invaded Kuwait in August 1990, starting a seven-month occupation of the country.
Meanwhile, compensation claims filed for rain damage reached 761 cases, including real estate, vehicles and furniture loss claims, Minister of Social Affair and Labor and Minister of State for Economic Affairs Hind Al-Sabeeh announced yesterday. She added in press remarks that the process of receiving people affected by the heavy rains is well organized at the compensations committee headquarters in Shamiya.
The committee gives priority to Kuwaitis and to those with damaged houses and vehicles, Sabeeh said. She denied offering any financial compensation to the affected people yet, indicating that this stage is only for receiving inquires and checking that they meet all requirements and are in accordance with the legal procedures followed. The government is giving the matter extra care, making sure to offer victims suitable payments that cover the damage they suffered. This committee will ensure justice towards the compensation demands, assuring those who incurred losses due to the recent deluge that they would receive an appropriate recompense.