Two people were killed and several more injured in five separate accidents early yesterday morning, as motorists continue to struggle with driving in thick fog.
In Abu Dhabi, one motorist died and five were injured in five separate road accidents in the remnants of a dense fog that descended overnight. The fog quickly spread to Dubai, where a young Emirati motorcyclist died hours after hitting a kerb and lamppost on Al Rabat road in the direction of Festival City. Police said low visibility could have been a factor in the crash.
When three vehicles collided on Tarif Road, one car was engulfed in flames, killing one and injuring two.
Two lorries collided on Trucks Road, injuring two people who were taken to Al Mafraq Hospital. In Al Gharbia, police halted all lorry traffic to prevent any accidents.
Col Hamad Adil al Shamsi, the head of the Abu Dhabi Police traffic and patrol department, urged all drivers to pay extra attention to avoid accidents. A spokesman for Dubai police asked motorists to take their time and use fog lights instead of their hazards.
"We are asking motorists to contact local media, such as radio stations, when they notice fog forming so everybody else who is driving or thinking of driving that particular road are aware of it," he said.
He also appealed for drivers not to tailgate.
Susan Guilford, a British expatriate who drove to Dubai from Abu Dhabi on Tuesday night, said the fog was the worst she had ever seen.
"It came in stages but was particularly heavy near Ghantoot," she said. "It was so bad cars were pulling over at the side of road and there was one accident with three cars and an ambulance, but the visibility was so bad I do not know what happened."
The same location was the scene of one of the biggest accidents in UAE history last March, when 200 cars piled up in heavy fog, setting vehicles alight, killing six and injuring more than 350 people.
Matt Seirfert, who was involved in the accident that later became known as Fog Tuesday, delayed his trip yesterday morning.
"I looked out the window and saw fog and I know what happened the last time I drove in conditions like that," he said.
"Luckily there was not too much traffic because a lot of people have taken holidays.
"If it was two weeks ago, it could have been a much different story."
A spokesman for Dubai International Airport's meteorological office said the fog formed in the centre of the UAE at about 10pm on Tuesday night.
A south-westerly wind carried it across the desert to Abu Dhabi and then towards Dubai.
Arif Mehmood, an assistant professor of transportation engineering at the UAE University who has done research into improving road safety, said motorists needed to learn to drive cautiously when fog hits.
"The awareness level is quite low," Mr Mehmood said.
"They think that it is not really a big issue that they should slow down. They think that they are well experienced and they are well confident of the situation, although in reality they are not."
Lt Ahmed al Hajeri, an official with the Abu Dhabi Police public safety department, said last month that new measures were in the works to improve safety in fog. They include installing low-voltage floodlights along Abu Dhabi's motorways, sending motorists text messages warning them of fog and having police escort motorists during fog.
eharnan@thenational.ae
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Sui Dhaaga: Made in India
Director: Sharat Katariya
Starring: Varun Dhawan, Anushka Sharma, Raghubir Yadav
3.5/5
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How it works
1) The liquid nanoclay is a mixture of water and clay that aims to convert desert land to fertile ground
2) Instead of water draining straight through the sand, it apparently helps the soil retain water
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
What it means to be a conservationist
Who is Enric Sala?
Enric Sala is an expert on marine conservation and is currently the National Geographic Society's Explorer-in-Residence. His love of the sea started with his childhood in Spain, inspired by the example of the legendary diver Jacques Cousteau. He has been a university professor of Oceanography in the US, as well as working at the Spanish National Council for Scientific Research and is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Biodiversity and the Bio-Economy. He has dedicated his life to protecting life in the oceans. Enric describes himself as a flexitarian who only eats meat occasionally.
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According to the United Nations Environment Programme, all life on earth – including in its forests and oceans – forms a “rich tapestry of interconnecting and interdependent forces”. Biodiversity on earth today is the product of four billion years of evolution and consists of many millions of distinct biological species. The term ‘biodiversity’ is relatively new, popularised since the 1980s and coinciding with an understanding of the growing threats to the natural world including habitat loss, pollution and climate change. The loss of biodiversity itself is dangerous because it contributes to clean, consistent water flows, food security, protection from floods and storms and a stable climate. The natural world can be an ally in combating global climate change but to do so it must be protected. Nations are working to achieve this, including setting targets to be reached by 2020 for the protection of the natural state of 17 per cent of the land and 10 per cent of the oceans. However, these are well short of what is needed, according to experts, with half the land needed to be in a natural state to help avert disaster.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
If you go
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Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
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Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
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