The cost of construction work to repair the damage from last flood in Taba has reached EGP 250 million. Renovation work includes 11 dams and 3 lakes, an official in South Sinai governorate told Daily News Egypt.

Flooding over the past 3 years have been more frequent and larger in amount which elevated the groundwater levels and flow, in the region, the official elaborated. “We cannot estimate the amount of water that has fallen recently and was wasted in the Gulf of Aqaba, but it was certainly no less than 20 million cubic metres per season,” the official continued.

The government’s adopted its strategy to resolve the situation is largely based on elevating the groundwater level in the area.

Although recently the amount of rainfall is higher, residents still suffer from a lack of fresh water necessary for drinking and agriculture, which can be easily obtained from the rainfall due to the low percentage of salt it contains compared to well water, one of the Bedouins living in the area told Daily News Egypt, adding that the area residents prefer benefiting from water in the Gulf of Aqaba than from wells, which cost much more money to drill.

Hotels and resorts in the area are currently obtaining water at EGP 10 per cubic meter.