Qatar's government launches investigation after heavy rains expose poor construction

Since Qatar was awarded the 2022 World Cup, the Middle Eastern country's government, commanded by its prime minister, Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, has been lambasted for scandal after scandal, including the mistreatment of its migrant labourers.

Less than one year ago, Owen Gibson and Pete Pattisson of the Guardian reported that Nepalese migrants building the infrastructure for the World Cup died at a rate of one every two days, a figure that didn't take migrants from India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh into account. It was a startling revelation, even for those who are educated on Qatar's practice of modern slavery.

It turns out, though, that the quality of the infrastructure those migrants are building is just as poor as the treatment they receive.

On Wednesday, Qatar was hit by more than a year's worth of rain in a matter of hours, exposing the poor construction in the country and, according to the state-run Qatar News Agency, resulting in the prime minister ordering an inquiry into five firms.

Most notably, leaks were reported at the Hamad International Airport in Doha, the country's capital. As the Guardian points out, the airport only opened last year and is estimated to have cost $17 billion (£11.2 billion).

The torrential downpour in Doha also led to the closure of shops, schools, hotels, and the city's Embassy of the United States, as it exceeded the 74 millimetres of rain that Qatar averages per year.

Qatar, known for its fierce temperatures, has undertaken a $200-billion infrastructure programme to ensure that the country is ready for the 2022 World Cup.