3.4. Problem Statement

The fishermen of the region who built their homes illegally and with weak construction materials that can't withstand the disaster hazards of floods as well as unplanned sewage and sanitary systems that blocked the flow of water; suffered from an old problem of floods and severe rainfalls, as well as the lack of drainage and the presence of houses on the banks of AlMax canal. Despite the charming nature that dominates the place where the unique connection beteen the fresh water and salt water, and from here the state monitored a project to protect the lives of the people of the region and also develop it and eliminate the illegal immigration mafia gatherings who were exploiting the canal area to transport their victims to the sea. So the goernment developed a Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) to provide the fishermen with new better planned formal settlements, in order to help mitigate the disaster risk and protect the lives of the affected population.

Floods wreaked havoc on Alexandria's Al-Max village in 2015. Despite the city's increased vulnerability to climate change, opponents claim that it has received little attention. The previously thriving fishing town of Al-Max in the Egyptian coastal city of Alexandria appears unfriendly to life at first impression. More than a dozen petroleum, cement, iron, and steel plants dot the terrain, spewing gallons of industrial waste into clogged canals and degrading the Nile Delta's important waterway. The pungent odor of chemical waste hangs heavy in the humid air. The famed canals of Alexandria once attracted parallels to Venice, but today mounds of debris litter the banks where vibrantly painted residences once stood—the few remaining dwellings were demolished in August 2018. Following a severe flash flood in 2015 that killed seven people, the Egyptian government decided to enlarge the Al-Max canals, requiring the evacuation of canal-side communities to newly constructed public projects, according to the government.

“My grandfather built these canals. Our whole life was here but now if you look, there is nothing left.” [Karem,2018]

Despite the dangers, many inhabitants would prefer to be left alone and fend for themselves. Karem, who has spent his whole life living and working beside the canal, believes that living without it would be like renouncing one's own past. "These canals were created by my grandpa," he explained. "Our entire lives were here, but now there is nothing left." The problems that Al-Max people are encountering are simply a taste of what Egypt may face as a result of unabated sea-level rise. According to the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climatic Change (IPCC), if current trends continue, Egypt would face a climate disaster in Alexandria. [Will Egypt’s Ancient City Succumb to Rising Seas? - Bloomberg; 2019]

Figure 130: Karem by his boat alongside the Al-Max canal. He was forced to leave his home after the 2015 floods. / Image credit: Amir Khafagy

2016

Drawing 56: Map illustrating the situation of "Qaryat Al-Sayyadin" informal settlements before their demolish. / Credit: Author

Under Demolition

2018

Drawing 57: Map illustrating the situation after the demolish of "Qaryat Al-Sayyadin" and the wider canal. / Credit: Author

Drawing 58: Map illustrating the situation of "Qaryat Al-Sayyadin" informal settlements before their demolish. / Credit: Author

Drawing 59: Map illustrating the situation after the demolish of "Qaryat Al-Sayyadin" and the wider canal. / Credit: Author

Situation before

2016

The fishermen of the region who built their homes illegally and with weak construction materials that can't withstand the disaster hazards of floods as well as unplanned sewage and sanitary systems that blocked the flow of water; suffered from an old problem of floods and severe rainfalls, as well as the lack of drainage and the presence of houses on the banks of Al-Max canal. People of Al-Max suffered from pollution coming from the industrial wastes coming from the surrounding factories which threatened the health of the residents.

Protesting against the demolish

2017

“We have already transferred people who are most in danger from sea-level rise and also ensuring them to have a better quality of life,” said Dr. Walid Hakiki, advisor of water resource planning and management to the governor of Alexandria. “In Egypt, we have a lot of slum areas with unsafe construction, and we want to make it more safe for residents.” But some activists say this is not the answer. “Resettlement, especially when forced, heavily disrupts communities,” said Yahia Shawkat, an Egyptian housing rights organizer. “Many of the clearances could have been avoided with much cheaper upgrading, while many others still live in inadequate housing and are not part of the government’s plans.” [Will Egypt’s Ancient City Succumb to Rising Seas? - Bloomberg; 2019]

Current situation

2018

Figure 132: Demolition of informal settlements (slums). / Image credit: Walid H.

Figure 133: The rubble left after demolition of houses on the waterfront at El Max, near Alexandria, where homes are regularly flooded. / Image credit: Sima Diab

Figure 134: Sewage pouring into the Al-Max canal. / Image credit: Amir Khafagy