2 new construction projects launched to reduce flood risk in Azraq, Wadi Musa in Jordan

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AMMAN — As part of the Zurich Flood Resilience Alliance (ZFRA): Building Communities' Flood Resilience project, and with funding from the Zurich Foundation, Mercy Corps started construction projects in Al Azraq and Wadi Musa in Al Zarqa and Maan governorates, to reduce flood risks in those areas.

The decision to carry out these construction projects was made following an assessment of both vulnerable communities using the innovative tool, Flood Resilience Measurement for Communities (FRMC), which revealed the need to focus on large-scale flood protection by strengthening the physical infrastructure in both communities, according to a statement made available to The Jordan Times.

The projects are Al Azraq Culvert Expansion Project and Wadi Musa Check-Dams Construction Project, read the statement.

As for Al Azraq Culvert Expansion Project, Mercy Corps in coordination with the Ministry of Public Works and Housing and in collaboration with the local community committee members from Al Azraq, on September 22 started the culvert expansion project in Al Azraq city.

The project aimed at increasing the capacity of transferring water from one side of the roadway to the other, reducing the risk of floods.

Gama Engineering & Contracting Est is implementing the 60-day project, and once the work is completed, it will be handed over to the Directorate of Public Works / Al Zarqa.

In regard to Wadi Musa Check-Dams Construction Project, Mercy Corps has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Petra Development & Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA) to execute a segment of a project designed by Al Mostaqbal Engineering and Environmental Consultants in Wadi Alsader.

The construction of seven check-dams will help in reducing the flow velocity generated from flash floods and allowing the sediments to settle out.

On August 16, Alanbat Alarab contracting company started implementing the project, which will take 65 days to complete.

Upon completion, the project will be handed over to the PDTRA, the statement read.

Moreover, Mercy Corps offered an internship opportunity for recent civil engineering graduates from the same targeted communities. This internship will enable them to engage with the labour market by working on these construction projects during the implementation phase.

Mercy Corps' Building Communities' Flood Resilience project is working with 4 flood-prone communities (both urban and rural), to measure their resilience, develop interventions with the communities to address flood risks, advocate with the government to address these gaps, and learn from resilience measurements and interventions to share with the government and global level policy conversations focused on climate change and disaster risk reduction.

The programme will also facilitate the development and training of community advocacy committees that will identify flood resilience support needs and advocate to local government stakeholders for better policies and investment.