Ministry denies ‘rain fatalities’ reports

KUWAIT: The Ministry of Interior has dismissed social media reports about an increase in the number of deaths caused by the heavy rainfall which engulfed the country Friday. In a press statement, the ministry stressed that the severe weather conditions had left only one fatality. The circulated social media reports about the death of several people due to the rainfall were totally fabricated, the statement added.

Meanwhile, Minister of Information Mohammad Al-Jabri on Saturday appealed to social media users to support government and voluntary rescue teams in dealing with the situation caused by extreme weather conditions. In a press statement, Jabri, also Minister of State for Youth Affairs, urged social media users to raise awareness of both citizens and expatriates on this matter. He called on them to avoid everything that could undermine the determination of both government or voluntary teams. He demanded citizens and expatriates to abide by relevant official instructions.

In the meantime, National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem promised that the family of the Kuwaiti citizen killed by heavy rains earlier Friday would not be ‘left in the lurch’. “The family of the martyr of Al-Fahaheel floods, Ahmad Al-Fadhli, will not be let down, facing life challenges alone. Kuwait is the country of humanitarian and its Amir is a humanitarian leader,” he said in a press statement following Fadhli’s funeral procession. He added that he had to attend the funeral since he is the representative of the Kuwaiti people. — KUNA