Downtown merchants’ losses estimated at JD5m

AMMAN — The capital’s downtown merchants on Thursday called for the “immediate” implementation of a comprehensive project to rehabilitate the area’s infrastructure and sanitation system after heavy rain inundated their stores.

The floods damaged commodities and assets of over 500 shops and warehouses containing textiles, clothing, shoes, accessories, electrical appliances and foodstuff, according to Garment Traders Association President Sultan Allan.

He noted that the problem has been around for some 30 years, but the changes in climate recently witnessed in the Kingdom necessitate the rehabilitation of infrastructure in downtown Amman as a priority, instead of “beautification” projects.

Downtown Amman is an area where water flowing from the capital’s seven hills ends up, he explained, adding that stores located in the area between Quraish and King Talal streets, as well as those between King Faisal Street and Al Husseini Mosque received the largest amount of water.

He estimated the value of damages to exceed JD5 million.

Some of the affected stores are covered by insurance, while others are not, and the insured ones will be compensated once the damage costs are calculated, Amman Chamber of Commerce President Issa Murad told The Jordan Times over phone.

“The merchants’ major complaint is that they were not warned against the sudden heavy downpour; therefore, they were not prepared for the incident,” Murad said, noting that some of these shops are the only assets of their owners.

The majority of affected stores are small- and medium-sized businesses, so their losses were “great”, he added.

Murad reiterated the need for rehabilitating the water and sanitation network, since this is still the beginning of the wet season, expecting future rainfall to cause more losses and damage if the infrastructure remains at its current state.