Tunis, August 20, 2026 — Prime Minister Sarra Zaafrani Zenzri on Thursday called for increased vigilance ahead of the rainy season, stressing the need to increase preventive measures against extreme weather and mitigate its potential impact during the coming autumn and winter.
Chairing a small ministerial council at the Kasbah Government Palace, the Prime Minister called for a comprehensive strategy based on anticipation, planning, operational readiness and early intervention, in line with directives from President Kais Saied, according to a statement from the Presidency of the Government.
Zaafrani Zenzri stressed the importance of upgrading infrastructure, maintaining it regularly, strengthening monitoring and early-warning systems as well as conducting field inspections
She urged authorities to step up preparations in light of weather forecasts pointing to possible fluctuations and heavy rainfall, with particular attention to areas and sites most vulnerable to flooding.
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During the meeting, the ministers of Interior, Health, Equipment and Housing, Agriculture, Environment, Social Affairs and Transport presented their respective preparedness plans and preventive measures for the coming rainy season.
Flood-prevention measures
The council reviewed progress on preventive works, including the clearing of riverbeds and waterways, cleaning of stormwater drainage networks, as well as the maintenance of flood-control infrastructure, dams, mountain lakes, pumping stations and other water facilities.
Preventive measures include the regular removal of construction debris and waste and tree pruning to reduce risks associated with severe weather.
Meanwhile, work is continuing on 29 flood-protection projects covering several cities and urban areas, with a total cost of around 396 million dinars. The projects are expected to be completed in 2026.
By the end of July, 2,250 kilometers of channels, riverbeds and secondary waterways had been cleared, along with around 62 hectares of water-collection basins. The annual program covers approximately 3,800 kilometers of channels and waterways and nearly 70 hectares of basins nationwide.
Of the 363 kilometers of riverbeds scheduled for clearance, 131 kilometers have been completed, with work continuing on the remaining sections across 18 governorates.
Maintenance work has also been completed on 83 mountain lakes, while 116 others are currently undergoing maintenance.
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As for stormwater drainage networks, 476 kilometers had been cleared by the end of July, with work continuing on a further 562 kilometers. Exceptional interventions have also been carried out in Monastir, Mahdia and Gafsa to clear waterways and riverbeds.
To repair flood damage recorded in January 2026, 132 million dinars have been allocated to 15 governorates. The first phase covers 120 sites at a cost of 84 million dinars.
The ministerial council called for preventive works to be accelerated and completed before the peak of the rainy season. It also stressed the need for regular field inspections, immediate correction of identified shortcomings and verification of the readiness of all equipment and emergency-response resources.
Authorities were also instructed to rank flood-prone areas and infrastructure according to risk level, prepare clear intervention plans and update disaster-prevention, emergency-response and rescue plans at all levels. Databases of flood-prone locations are also to be updated.
The council further called for stronger monitoring, early-warning and communication systems, faster sharing and analysis of data, and closer coordination among the relevant public authorities.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the Prime Minister stressed that preparing for the rainy season requires the mobilization of all relevant authorities and available human and logistical resources.
She emphasized that confronting climate-related risks requires a firmly established culture of prevention and anticipation, supported by an integrated system based on preparedness, early warning and rapid response.
