The Jeddah Municipality will soon launch a campaign to combat rats in several of the city’s districts after a recent dramatic increase in their number, said Mohammed Al-Buqami, Jeddah Municipality spokesman.

He told Arab News that the rat menace is among the municipality’s top priorities due to its negative health impact and alarming increase.

“Over the past three months, municipality teams have intensified campaigns targeting mice and rats and have so far killed more than 5,000 rats, ” he said.

Al-Buqami urged Jeddah residents to cooperate with the municipality in their efforts to combat the rat phenomenon by not throwing food outside garbage containers.

“Disposing of food improperly is one of the main reasons rats are attracted to neighborhoods,” he said.

Several Jeddah residents have expressed dismay and outrage at this phenomenon and have called on municipality officials to take urgent measures to get rid of the rodents.

Mohammed Al-Shahrani, a resident in the Al-Marwa neighborhood, said his lcality is relatively new in the city and includes many buildings that are still under construction.

“Nevertheless, a large numbers of rats and mice can be seen wandering in the neighborhood, especially in the evening hours and at night, causing panic and concern among residents, especially children,” he said.