Two Million Cubic Metres of Rainwater Collected in South Sinai

Around 2 million cubic metres of rainwater have been collected in South Sinai following recent rainfall, with the water stored behind flood protection dams in the Saint Catherine area.

According to the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, the captured water will be used to recharge shallow groundwater aquifers and support local Bedouin communities, while also helping to protect infrastructure including the Abu Redis–Saint Catherine pipeline and nearby energy facilities.

Storage volumes were distributed across multiple sites, with Self Dam No. 2 holding around 1 million cubic metres and Lake 1 in Saint Catherine storing approximately 600,000 cubic metres.

Saal Dam and Al-Asba’iya Dam retained about 150,000 and 50,000 cubic metres respectively, while an additional 200,000 cubic metres accumulated in mountain lakes.

Rainfall also affected other parts of South Sinai, including Tor Sinai, where moderate to heavy showers led to limited runoff in Wadi Me’ir.

In North Sinai, rainfall in areas such as Al-Qasima and Al-Maghara did not result in flooding or impact major protection structures, including Al-Rawafa Dam.

In the Red Sea Governorate, Ras Gharib experienced intermittent rainfall without flooding. The weather conditions in Saint Catherine included heavy rain, a significant temperature drop and flash floods in several valleys, followed by snowfall across the mountainous area.

Authorities reported that floodwaters were contained within natural channels without causing damage due to existing protection systems.

Emergency measures were activated, including securing supplies of food, fuel and electricity generators for residents and visitors, while roads connecting Saint Catherine to surrounding areas remained open.