MEMORABLE RAINFALLS IN KUWAIT'S HISTORY BY KHALED AL-ZAID KUWAIT, DEC 13 (KUNA) -- KUWAITI PEOPLE STILL REMEMBER THE HISTORICAL EVENTS CAUSED BY HEAVY RAINS AND THE DAMAGES IT CAUSED TO MANY PROPERTIES, HOUSES AND LOSS OF LIVES, YET PEOPLE STILL REGARD RAINFALL AS A GOOD OMEN, PROMISING GREENER SPRINGS AND PLENTY OF TRUFFLES.
THE KUWAITI PEOPLE EAGERLY AWAIT TRUFFLES SEASON THIS TIME OF YEAR AND HAVE EVEN DEVELOPED OTHER NAMES FOR IT, LIKE DESERT FRUIT, SINCE ITS FOUND IN THE DESERT AND THUNDER PLANTS DUE TO ITS SPROUT AFTER THE RAINY SEASON.
RAINS HAVE GOOD AND TRAGIC MEMORIES IN KUWAIT HISTORY STARTING WITH "SENAT AL-HADAMA" (YEAR OF DESTRUCTION) WHERE IN DECEMBER 14, 1934 , AT LEAST 300 MILLIMETER OF RAIN FELL IN KUWAIT WITHIN ONE AND A HALF HOURS, LEADING TO THE DESTRUCTION OF 500 HOMES, CAUSING GRAVE DAMAGES IN PROPERTIES WHICH LEAD THE MUNICIPALITY TO AID THE VICTIMS OF THE THREE DAY HEAVY RAINS.
AT LEAST 18,000 THOUSAND CITIZENS WERE AFFECTED ESPECIALLY IN THE AREA BETWEEN DERWAZAT ABDUL-RAZAG AND NAIEF PALACE.
ANOTHER TRAGIC YEAR IN THE MINDS OF KUWAITI PEOPLE IS THE YEAR OF 1954, WITH DAMAGES SURPASSING THE 1934 RAINS.
TWELVE DAYS OF CONTINUOUS RAINS DESTROYED HUNDRED OF HOUSES, SENDING 11 PEOPLE TO HOSPITALS AND FORMING A COMMITTEE HEADED BY SHEIKH SABAH AL-AHMAD AL-SABAH TO ASSESS DAMAGES.(MORE) KZ.JSY KUNA 131338 Dec 01NNNN