UAE authorities mobilise to tackle consequences of Monday’s weather

Car crashes, flooding, and traffic jams were commonplace as heavy rain, and even snow, fell across the country.

The novelty of hailstones attracts attention yesterday by the side of the E16 towards Sweihan. Silvia Razgova / The National

ABU DHABI // Winter struck with a vengeance on Monday, bringing rain, wind, thunder, lightning – even snow – and three deaths on the roads.

In Abu Dhabi, one person died and three were injured in seven road accidents in heavy rain. Police blamed drivers for speeding, tailgating and inattention. In Dubai there were 556 road incidents, two of them fatal.

One person was killed and several others injured when a bus carrying three people swerved on Mohammed bin Zayed Road under Al Nahda Street bridge. The bus hit another vehicle parked on the hard shoulder.

Another person was run over and killed on Sheikh Zayed Road after they stopped by the side of the road to tend to their car after an accident. Another person was injured and taken to hospital via air rescue.

Another man was seriously injured in a three-car collision on the Dubai-Al Ain road.

Flooding and traffic jams were reported in several parts of Dubai. Workmen in small cranes fixed leaks in the ceiling that caused rainwater to trickle into the Mall of the Emirates.

Other workers mopped the floors, placed buckets in sections of the mall, put up signs warning of wet floors and covered electronic signboards with thick plastic sheets.

Nadia Quraishi, 24, from Dubai, posted pictures and video online of hailstones in Sweihan, on Ajban Road. She was “completely astonished” by the weather.

“It’s amazing since the UAE has not experienced this since 1993.”

Ms Quraishi said she was surprised because usually it begins to rain in October but hasn’t until now.

“We crave this because its 53 degrees in the summers, so yeah, cold weather is much-awaited.”

Police and other authorities were quick to urge caution in the bad weather.

Lt Col Jamal Salem Al Ameri of Abu Dhabi traffic police said drivers should reduce speed and avoid slamming on the brakes when the roads were wet.

They were also cautioned against using hazard lights except when they are stationary, and stopping under trees, near billboards or around construction sites in strong winds.

Lt Col Al Ameri said drivers who had an accident or whose cars had a mechanical failure in the rain should take their vehicles off the road to the nearest safe place to allow traffic to flow.

The Ministry of Interior urged motorists to drive cautiously, and Dubai Police said drivers should reduce speed in the rain to avoid skidding.

Al Ain Municipality held a meeting of its emergency and crisis committee, chaired by Saeed Al Kaabi, head of the emergencies bureau, with representatives from the police, Civil Defence, Abu Dhabi Waste Management Centre and Abu Dhabi Sewerage Services Company.

The meeting reviewed a plan to deal with weather challenges, as forecasts indicate more rain today.

Mr Al Kaabi said the municipality was preparing for any emergencies and was keen on holding emergency meetings to discuss rapid response.

He said the emergencies bureau had received 90 reports from residents about streets and tunnels affected by heavy rain, and trees falling by the sides of the roads. The municipality dispatched emergency teams to clear blocked rainwater drains and take the fallen trees and waste off the road.

Mr Al Kaabi said that until the weather was stable, residents and visitors were advised to avoid valleys and desert areas, and should call the emergency bureau on 933 to report any damage.