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UAE residents ran from their homes to shelter in basement garages as the skies flared with loud blasts from the barrage of intercepted Iranian missiles and destroyed drones on Sunday.
As the second night of Iranian strikes approached, residents across the Emirates described the fear they felt every time the air exploded with a boom. Some found safety in underground garages, others stayed away from windows and many taped large glass panes.
“I’m too scared about the blasts, especially at night. It’s like a time of terror on night two. I’m afraid for my kids – we feel it in our stomach when we hear the blast,” said a resident living in a villa in Mirdif.
Residents in the Mirdif area, near Dubai International Airport, recounted repeated blasts on Sunday evening, a day after UAE authorities said four airport staff were injured and a concourse was damaged.
“The whole house shook, windows shook so much we thought the windows would crack. We are near the airport and so we really felt the pounding today. We slept in the bathrooms last night and will do the same tonight. We try to be as far away from the windows in the house as possible.”
Drone debris
People braced for a second sleepless night, shaken awake by blasts and phone alarms. Many in Palm Jumeirah and Dubai Marina stayed in building basement garages.
“A hotel in front of us was on fire, the blaze, the heat, the sounds were too intense,” said a Palm Jumeirah resident. “We were told to go to the basement for shelter. Many people just drove off to stay with friends as the fire was too close. People are scared.”
Authorities confirmed four people were injured and treated after a fire in a Palm Jumeirah building on Saturday.
The Ministry of Defence said forces dealt with 165 ballistic missiles, two cruise missiles and 541 drones since the Iranian attack began.
A woman and her child were injured by debris from intercepted drones at Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi, which damaged one building. Two people were also hurt when drone debris fell into the courtyards of two Dubai homes, authorities said on Sunday.
The government has said it will “leave no stone unturned” to protect people in the UAE from “unlawful and unjustified" Iranian attacks.
Sheltering with friends
Many residents packed belongings, documents and money before leaving their homes in towers in the Marina and Palm Jumeirah.
“I’m staying with friends as it’s too frightening seeing the drones hitting tall towers in places like Bahrain,” said a Marina resident. “I’m not going back to my house until this is over. But when will this end? It’s so unfair that the UAE is being dragged into this war. When the phone sends out the alarm it makes me even more scared.”
The Ministry of Interior urged people to take shelter with warnings on phones: “Due to current situation, potential missile threats, seek immediate shelter in the closest secure building and to steer away from windows, doors and open areas. (MOI).”
The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority Authorities urged people to stay calm when they heard the phone alerts: “We recognise that alerts of this nature may cause concern. We encourage the public to stay calm and cooperate.” NCEMA said the alerts were part of the national early warning system designed to “elevate preparedness”.
A UAE resident drove back from Ras Al Khaimah to Dubai anxious about falling debris.
“The hotel evacuated us to the ground floor and we stayed there the whole of Saturday night,” she said. “I was worried about the falling debris but I couldn’t spend another night in a hotel ballroom.”
Some residents taped windows shut, drew curtains, and placed beds in front of them to guard against splintering glass.
“It’s like you are seeing a comet fall but it’s terrifying when it’s coming down near us,” said an Abu Dhabi resident. “We are worried, what will it be like tonight? As long as no one is hurt, it’s okay if we don’t sleep.”
