SHARJAH // Heavy rain in the Northern Emirates flooded homes in Umm Al Quwain and led to the cancellation of the Sharjah Consultative Council’s Thursday session.
And three people trapped in a wadi as rains battered Ras Al Khaimah were rescued by air police.
Municipality workers were kept busy pumping away excess water in UAQ and, although traffic police had received no reports of accidents, there was flooding on parts of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road.
Col Saeed bin Airan, director of UAQ Police traffic and patrols, said the motorway was flooded near interchanges 103 and 110, causing problems for motorists.
Col bin Airan said municipality crews were clearing the water and urged motorists to slow down.
In Sharjah city, the light rain and drizzle was in contrast to the deluge in the eastern regions, where flooded roads prevented SCC representatives from Khor Fakkan and Kalba from attending the Thursday session.
Schools closed from 10am after a directive from the Ministry of Education. The move was welcomed by parents, but some felt they should have been informed of the decision sooner as pupils were already in class.
“I dropped my three children at school and I was at work when I heard about the ministry’s decision to close all schools,” said Saif Ahmed, an Emirati from UAQ.
“They could have announced this a day before as they had all the information earlier.”
Col Sultan Al Khayal, public relations and media director of Sharjah Police, said officers were taking all measures to ensure the safety of residents at home and on the roads, with patrols deployed throughout the emirate.
In Ajman, Sheikh Sultan bin Abdullah Al Nuaimi, deputy director of police, met officers to discuss strategies during the rough spell and ensure the safety of motorists.
Police urged people not to go to valleys, wadis or mountain areas, such as Masfoot or Al Manama, for the next few days.
