![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PUW6EZAOXYA6G7MG2XBU2X4QQE.jpg?smart=true&auth=6bf0d86049071d13350d7b30351f570ec9ed4bd2a77a6f73f59ca54a31e53adf&width=400&height=225)
Sweihan's long-time residents said last week was perhaps the hottest they have experienced.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QFN6I6C4MLXJAUFF54HX4LIJI4.jpg?smart=true&auth=3317c40e863647386618b9c02067e13f4d9784f2075f49ac60e2d4c945c77da9&width=400&height=225)
Shops in Sweihan. On Sunday, temperatures in the Al Ain town hit 51.8°C, the highest recorded by any community on Earth that day.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UIRYNZFDTKDH72KIZJNLOIPM2U.jpg?smart=true&auth=7f699613d71170a3ce0c08d9ee5f6b8c7d44000f9c78ccf3d1e2847e769c9616&width=400&height=225)
'The National' visited Sweihan when the temperature was a more clement 44°C, but not right for cooking eggs.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ACTI233YQQIS5JMDAGKLKXBH7Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=7001d7cbadfefc93b807ba715d61f8110e20be8d7e82decee79f3fede9e53985&width=400&height=225)
Shakeel KP, a restaurant owner in Sweihan, says this summer is the hottest he has experienced in 12 years.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HXHZBFHQ6H6SA6U5TTQNUOIDWQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=71e9fc8246c9ab515f9a8b031dc514dfa8e4d8f6d45a57dab5fe9b1b1e2c58a3&width=400&height=225)
Elhadrami Alhashmi, an Emirati camel trainer and businessman, says Sweihan is hotter than his hometown of Liwa.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/775XSEUQ62W34JRRAB2DOR22J4.jpg?smart=true&auth=558e7655a452034844ae91a5f14f0b079eadeb423e01e54ef3fa1f99fb8f30f8&width=400&height=225)
Thursday's temperatures in Sweihan meant an attempt at frying an egg in the 44°C heat did not deliver the desired effect.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SREYGZIXS4HARMOHMAA4SED27Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=806ccd8a9e7c7bae48e224620c0934ed3b84d181f79f98c5938f8681d1d07241&width=400&height=225)
Residents of Sweihan say the heat is unbearable.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/AX7C5RSWLZIKF42SWTU5GT646I.jpg?smart=true&auth=05171cffc3ed32dff3f9c73f372cb7ad2612777de9e64823bc4761e0a911a01b&width=400&height=225)
Sweihan's heat melts ice cream in minutes.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CVAKWMRNTFZEIBGN42ZWGYNWXU.jpg?smart=true&auth=4226462ad07e3fd5810ee6633e8ad5bf99987850a5d5fa2b8c40bdc46b9e5b3c&width=400&height=225)
Residents of Sweihan say they avoid going outdoors during the daytime.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IOBY667TSDNCNRHYCT7FSC35EU.jpg?smart=true&auth=b07fc0a321d3c75f69d065ca4984e5ea5c1d73a17d323fc7da9a643c3b304633&width=400&height=225)
Haris Hassan, 50, from Kerala, is the owner of Mega Fun Electronics in Sweihan. He says daytime heat is too much for even a five-minute walk.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/G3SW6X2DOR2Q53BC5TCKOS75WM.jpg?smart=true&auth=493acb5db6b50ff292f1653ab702b1f494275bd12143d825bff8e90cb377bb8b&width=400&height=225)
Sweihan resident Tareef Otham has cut down on his daily outdoor exercise routine to avoid the heat.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JXJ56HYEF6ZHAI3B56ECZ6HQMM.jpg?smart=true&auth=8544960b40fe436414f87b308be4d999d930ff8446ae6b158b269527576f9249&width=400&height=225)
Abdullah OK, 21, from India, sells fruit and vegetables in Sweihan.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/EVYTWSR2F667LBTBI3VLTR2FVY.jpg?smart=true&auth=7ceb7466d1877a0cc6173d32b98378cae5e7f8d00f5f7ee34408b2760227d3ac&width=400&height=225)
Hawa El Hadey, a travel agent who moved from Abu Dhabi city to Sweihan 13 years ago, says the heat is not too bad.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NVZNCK7YFOEFY3LC26GSTYU6XU.jpg?smart=true&auth=d08f3f6ea591d1131479dda7f30dc8b3fc38be3a47bad9f3969a244f3e7e12e1&width=400&height=225)
Syed Ali, 31, from Pakistan works as a maintenance supervisor and has been living in Sweihan for five years.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ER66MKUQ5AN4V5BQPLGLBGI2WY.jpg?smart=true&auth=c150e046e847ff626300f445fe5718f3c32b376ab79242db78789ca23c6d5707&width=400&height=225)
Muhammad Shafi, 35, from Kerala, has been in Sweihan for six months.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3DF3WSWLIKJ4NBAK4N6JLW3CAQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=9030fc3d73513b0b2b98c726054c964c88273b5b0a8243d3bbe839a067773da9&width=400&height=225)
Sweihan's long-time residents said last week was perhaps the hottest they have experienced.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PUW6EZAOXYA6G7MG2XBU2X4QQE.jpg?smart=true&auth=6bf0d86049071d13350d7b30351f570ec9ed4bd2a77a6f73f59ca54a31e53adf&width=400&height=225)
Sweihan's long-time residents said last week was perhaps the hottest they have experienced.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QFN6I6C4MLXJAUFF54HX4LIJI4.jpg?smart=true&auth=3317c40e863647386618b9c02067e13f4d9784f2075f49ac60e2d4c945c77da9&width=400&height=225)
Shops in Sweihan. On Sunday, temperatures in the Al Ain town hit 51.8°C, the highest recorded by any community on Earth that day.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UIRYNZFDTKDH72KIZJNLOIPM2U.jpg?smart=true&auth=7f699613d71170a3ce0c08d9ee5f6b8c7d44000f9c78ccf3d1e2847e769c9616&width=400&height=225)
'The National' visited Sweihan when the temperature was a more clement 44°C, but not right for cooking eggs.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ACTI233YQQIS5JMDAGKLKXBH7Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=7001d7cbadfefc93b807ba715d61f8110e20be8d7e82decee79f3fede9e53985&width=400&height=225)
Shakeel KP, a restaurant owner in Sweihan, says this summer is the hottest he has experienced in 12 years.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HXHZBFHQ6H6SA6U5TTQNUOIDWQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=71e9fc8246c9ab515f9a8b031dc514dfa8e4d8f6d45a57dab5fe9b1b1e2c58a3&width=400&height=225)
Elhadrami Alhashmi, an Emirati camel trainer and businessman, says Sweihan is hotter than his hometown of Liwa.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/775XSEUQ62W34JRRAB2DOR22J4.jpg?smart=true&auth=558e7655a452034844ae91a5f14f0b079eadeb423e01e54ef3fa1f99fb8f30f8&width=400&height=225)
Thursday's temperatures in Sweihan meant an attempt at frying an egg in the 44°C heat did not deliver the desired effect.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SREYGZIXS4HARMOHMAA4SED27Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=806ccd8a9e7c7bae48e224620c0934ed3b84d181f79f98c5938f8681d1d07241&width=400&height=225)
Residents of Sweihan say the heat is unbearable.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/AX7C5RSWLZIKF42SWTU5GT646I.jpg?smart=true&auth=05171cffc3ed32dff3f9c73f372cb7ad2612777de9e64823bc4761e0a911a01b&width=400&height=225)
Sweihan's heat melts ice cream in minutes.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CVAKWMRNTFZEIBGN42ZWGYNWXU.jpg?smart=true&auth=4226462ad07e3fd5810ee6633e8ad5bf99987850a5d5fa2b8c40bdc46b9e5b3c&width=400&height=225)
Residents of Sweihan say they avoid going outdoors during the daytime.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IOBY667TSDNCNRHYCT7FSC35EU.jpg?smart=true&auth=b07fc0a321d3c75f69d065ca4984e5ea5c1d73a17d323fc7da9a643c3b304633&width=400&height=225)
Haris Hassan, 50, from Kerala, is the owner of Mega Fun Electronics in Sweihan. He says daytime heat is too much for even a five-minute walk.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/G3SW6X2DOR2Q53BC5TCKOS75WM.jpg?smart=true&auth=493acb5db6b50ff292f1653ab702b1f494275bd12143d825bff8e90cb377bb8b&width=400&height=225)
Sweihan resident Tareef Otham has cut down on his daily outdoor exercise routine to avoid the heat.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JXJ56HYEF6ZHAI3B56ECZ6HQMM.jpg?smart=true&auth=8544960b40fe436414f87b308be4d999d930ff8446ae6b158b269527576f9249&width=400&height=225)
Abdullah OK, 21, from India, sells fruit and vegetables in Sweihan.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/EVYTWSR2F667LBTBI3VLTR2FVY.jpg?smart=true&auth=7ceb7466d1877a0cc6173d32b98378cae5e7f8d00f5f7ee34408b2760227d3ac&width=400&height=225)
Hawa El Hadey, a travel agent who moved from Abu Dhabi city to Sweihan 13 years ago, says the heat is not too bad.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NVZNCK7YFOEFY3LC26GSTYU6XU.jpg?smart=true&auth=d08f3f6ea591d1131479dda7f30dc8b3fc38be3a47bad9f3969a244f3e7e12e1&width=400&height=225)
Syed Ali, 31, from Pakistan works as a maintenance supervisor and has been living in Sweihan for five years.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ER66MKUQ5AN4V5BQPLGLBGI2WY.jpg?smart=true&auth=c150e046e847ff626300f445fe5718f3c32b376ab79242db78789ca23c6d5707&width=400&height=225)
Muhammad Shafi, 35, from Kerala, has been in Sweihan for six months.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3DF3WSWLIKJ4NBAK4N6JLW3CAQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=9030fc3d73513b0b2b98c726054c964c88273b5b0a8243d3bbe839a067773da9&width=400&height=225)
Sweihan's long-time residents said last week was perhaps the hottest they have experienced.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PUW6EZAOXYA6G7MG2XBU2X4QQE.jpg?smart=true&auth=6bf0d86049071d13350d7b30351f570ec9ed4bd2a77a6f73f59ca54a31e53adf&width=400&height=225)
Sweihan's long-time residents said last week was perhaps the hottest they have experienced.
Sweihan in Al Ain at 52°C: what life is like in the 'hottest place on Earth’
The city’s long-time residents said last week was perhaps the hottest they have experienced
![Haneen Dajani](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F2c3a1ee0-7878-4332-8eb7-508eaf968db0.png?smart=true&auth=502c5440a5c40d357cfb18a53fda792824aea1226c0aa454ca42e9cb84274c9d&width=70&height=70)
Haneen Dajani
11 June, 2021
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