Howling winds, pounding rain: UAE citizens are warned as bad weather approaches

Post by: Kanchan Chandel

Photo-AFP

Residents of the UAE experienced a restless night as powerful winds and heavy rainfall swept through the majority of the country between 2am and 4am on Thursday. The National Center of Meteorology had previously forecasted that the weather conditions would not be as severe as those witnessed on April 16th. However, moderate to heavy rainfall was anticipated over scattered areas, accompanied by lightning, thunder, and a possibility of hail. The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority had reassured the public of their preparedness for the unstable weather conditions earlier in the week.

For Mark Angeles, a resident of Dubai South, the onset of dawn prompted an immediate inspection of his car parked outside his residential building. "The wind was really strong. My family and I were awakened by the sound of wind and rain pounding against our windows. There were also flashes of lightning and thunder. Fortunately, the rainfall lasted only a couple of hours, and upon checking our parking area, it remained dry," Angeles shared with Khaleej Times. A security guard on night duty at the same building echoed Angeles's sentiments, noting that while the wind was intense, the adverse weather conditions were not as severe as the previous month.

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Despite the strong winds causing trees, trash bins, and billboards to topple over, no flooding was reported in Dubai South as of 6:30 am on Thursday. Concerned about potential travel disruptions, Filipino expat James Arriola, scheduled to fly to Bahrain at 11am, opted to leave for the airport at 6am. "I had read reports advising extra travel time due to the weather. Although I didn't encounter any road closures, I didn't want to take any chances, so I left home early," Arriola explained.

In anticipation of the adverse weather, some shops improvised rain defenses by covering their doors with plastic sheets and masking tape, while others placed sandbags at entrances. The government had issued alerts for "medium to heavy rains" on Thursday and Friday, prompting remote work arrangements for government employees and advisories for private sector employers to offer remote work options.

Residents across the UAE took to social media to share their experiences of the thunderstorms, heavy rain, and strong winds. Saadiya Ahmed, a resident of Al Majaz 1 in Sharjah, described the winds on Wednesday night as "violent and scary," noting that her neighbor's garden furniture was swept away. Meanwhile, Azeeja Amanda, a resident of Mudon, recounted being awakened by thunderstorms and lightning at 3am. Recall the April 16th rain and subsequent flooding, Amanda hurriedly placed towels around her front door to prevent water from entering her house, reflecting the proactive measures taken by authorities to protect the community. She mentioned the closure of a tunnel on E611 and the placement of sandbags around the area as precautionary measures, which instilled a sense of safety among residents.

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