Several foreigners, particularly single men, were suddenly evicted from their homes in Kuwait as authorities enforced building code violations and cut off electricity to three houses in the Bunid Al Ghar neighborhood, according to media reports on Monday.
The move comes days after 50 people, including 46 Indians, were killed in a massive building fire that Kuwaiti authorities said was caused by an electrical short circuit in a security room on the building's first floor.
Several single foreign residents of Bunid Al Ghar were suddenly evicted and left on the streets after authorities enforced building code violations. Adding to the residents' woes, authorities also cut off electricity and water to the three buildings during Kuwait's scorching summer, when temperatures topped 45 degrees Celsius, The Arab Times reported.
The evictions came following a crackdown on properties that don't meet local regulations. Authorities cited serious health and safety violations that required immediate action. The sudden chaos had left many expats out on the streets at night with no place to hide, they said.
Community leaders are calling for a more humane and transparent process in dealing with these violations, arguing for a balance between enforcing regulations and the welfare of foreigners.
Most of the deaths were reported from smoke inhalation caused by residents in the building while they were sleeping in the tragic building fire that broke out last Wednesday in the southern Kuwaiti city of Mangaf, which housed 196 migrant workers, most of them Indian.
The fire incident led to action being taken against those violating housing regulations.
Indians make up 21% (1 million) of Kuwait's total population and 30% (about 900,000) of the workforce.
