Flooding in many areas has swept the number plates off vehicles, prompting one Sharjah resident to step in and help affected motorists.
Saneeh Hasan has collected more than 200 licence plates during three days of rain in the Muweileh area, where he lives.
“I know how hard it is to get number plates. It's very costly, around Dh400. So I thought it would help others,” said Mr Hasan, a Kerala native who owns a cleaning services company and has lived in the UAE for about 30 years.
His Instagram reel has received more than 400,000 views in just a few days, with viewers messaging to alert him about number plates they have spotted or collected.
“I didn't mean to get this kind of response, but I'm happy for that,” he said. “Many people started messaging me over my Instagram now like 'I got some plates with me' or 'I saw plates here you can go and collect it.'”
Mr Hasan said the depth of the flooded areas makes them difficult to drive through in his Dodge Challenger. Instead, he decided to go on foot. On his first walk, he spent between five and six hours recovering plates.
“When I find a flooded area I just park my car somewhere safe and start walking,” he said.
Mr Hasan has been in touch with local authorities, and handed over the plates for easy collection. Fifty have gone to Sharjah Police and the rest to other police stations in Dubai, such as Al Qusais. He is a member of Dubai Police's Positive Spirit Team, a community initiative.
“What I'm doing, it's a good thing. But we should ensure our own safety and the safety our family,” he emphasised.
Mr Hasan recommends wearing gloves to anyone who wants to follow his initiative in their neighbourhood as he suffered “skin irritations from the unhygienic water”.
He encouraged people to drive slowly and avoid flooded areas to reduce the chances of losing their number plates. For those who have lost theirs, he recommends the Dubai Police app's Lost and Found feature which charges a small fee for recovery, rather than the full Dh400 for replacement.
