Egypt Silent on Sinai Flooding

By Amira Al Hussaini from Global Voices

Sinai is being ravished by flooding, after heavy rains in the region. Very little information is available from online media, and there has been total silence from mainstream media in Egypt.

On Twitter, Ibrahim Elgarhi addresses a tweet to Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi saying [ar]:

عاجل وانساني: فيه عشرات الاسر المحاصرة في سيناء في وادي فيران بعد ما عزلتهم السيول ومحتاجين اغاثة.. ملحوظة: سيناء دي تبع مصر يا ريس

@Ibrahim_Elgarhi: Urgent and humanitarian: There are scores of besieged families in Sinai, in Firan Valley, who have been cut off by the flooding and need urgent aid. Please note that Sinai is part of Egypt dear President

Against the silence of help from the authorities, Alyaa Gad is rallying support for action among netizens:

ال١٤٠٠ أسرة المحاصرين بالسيول في سيناء نساعدهم ازاي؟ (انسوا الحكومة- مافيش حكومة)، احنا – احنا نقدر نعمل ايه؟

@AlyaaGad: How do we help the 1,400 families surrounded by flooding in Sinai? (Forget the government for there is no government). What can we do?

And yesterday, blogger Wael Abbas tweeted:

1400 اسرة معزولة في جنوب سيناء وادي فاران بسبب السيول بدون اكل او كهرباء ولا يوجد اعلام او سياسين او احد يتحدث عنهم – الناس بعتولي استغاثة !

@waelabbas: There are 1,400 families cut off in South Sinai in Firan Valley because of the flooding. They are without food and electricity and there is no media or politicians or anyone talking about them. They sent me an SOS.

Editors Note: Sinai is a largely tribal area of Egypt on the border with Egypt. The government’s authority in the region has been limited in the past, and has been challenged by militant groups. See the related links below for more information.

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