Five people were rescued after four cars were swept away in flash floods in Sharjah on Monday as heavy rain lashed the northern emirates.
Dramatic footage of the incident was widely shared on social media.
It shows the 4x4 cars being pushed down Wadi Shees by the fierce waters.
Sharjah Police came to the aid of the group who were left stranded in the wadi.
“The forcefully rushing waters of the valley swept their vehicles away,” said Sharjah Police in a statement.
“The rescue teams got them out of the wadi without injuries.”
Police urged members of the public to avoid wadis during hazardous weather.
Heavy rain was reported on Monday over Khor Fakkan and Wadi Shees in Sharjah and light to moderate rain over Wadi Al Ejili in Ras Al Khaimah, Masafi in Fujairah and Al Rafisah Dam in Sharjah.
The National Centre of Meteorology said that more rainfall is expected in some eastern and northern parts of the country in the coming days.
“Heavy to moderate rain is expected over some eastern areas such as Masafi and Khor Fakkan from Tuesday until Thursday and might reach some areas in Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain,” said Alya Al Hantoobi, an NCM forecaster.
Flash flooding is common in northern parts of the Emirates and police always advise residents not to drive near wadis during treacherous weather.
Ali Al Shammari, founder of volunteer group UAE Rescue, said that irresponsible acts can lead to accidents and sometimes deaths.
“We always tell people to avoid wadis and dangerous places during the rainfall as water can come down suddenly from the mountains and fill the wadis in only few second,” he said.
“If people wish to observe the rain they should do that from high and safe places to avoid accidents and deaths caused by flash floods.”
Fair to partly cloudy weather will persist across the country for the rest of the week. Light to moderate winds will pick up dust and reduce visibility in some areas.
Morning fog will persist as humidity will remain high overnight.
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50 of the best images of the UAE under fog
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Reem Island in Abu Dhabi is covered in 2018. Emmanuel Samoglou / The National -

Miguel Angel Jimenez and other golfers on the fog covered range at the Dubai Desert Classic in 2011. Mike Young / The National -

Dense fog engulfs Abu Dhabi's Al Maryah Island in December 2017. Ravindranath K / The National -

Towers in Dubai Media City during the early morning fog in Dubai in April 2020. Pawan Singh / The National -

The Fairmont Marina peeks through the fog on the Corniche, Abu Dhabi, on a sunny morning. Victor Besa / The National -

Morning fog descends over Dubai Marina in 2013. Sarah Dea / The National -

The ground below is swallowed up by fog in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National -

Only the tallest buildings in Dubai sometimes escape the blanket. Chris Whiteoak / The National -

Window cleaners work on Al Ain Tower with view of Etihad Towers in the background in Al Khalidiyah, Abu Dhabi. Erica ElKhershi / The National -

A variety of light captured during fog in Abu Dhabi. Ravindranath K / The National -

A fisherman on a misty morning in 2016. Rich-Joseph Facun / The National -

Morning fog burns off near Electra Street in Abu Dhabi on December 31, 2008. Rich-Joseph Facun / The National -

Fog in Abu Dhabi seen from The Gate Towers on Reem Island in 2015. Irene García León for The National -

A light fog covers the Dubai skyline in 2015. Sarah Dea / The National -

Cars drive through the morning fog on 24th street in Abu Dhabi in 2009. Galen Clarke / The National -

Gate Towers on Abu Dhabi's Reem Island in 2013. Silvia Razgova / The National -

Fog over Dubai Marina in 2013. Sarah Dea / The National -

Sheikh Zayed bridge engulfed in fog in 2017. Ravindranath K / The National. -

Abu Dhabi city on Christmas morning, 2017. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -

Fog in the city of Abu Dhabi on Christmas morning, 2017. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -

The UAE flag stands in the clear against a misty backdrop in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National -

A lady takes her morning walk amid the fog at the Khalifa City A in 2018. Victor Besa / The National -

Fog engulfed with high humidity in Abu Dhabi. Rajesh Korde / The National -

The Sheikh Zayed Bridge in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National -

A man goes for an early morning cycle as fog covers Dubai on September 21, 2020. Chris Whiteoak / The National -

Misty conditions around JBR in Dubai. Sarah Dea / The National -

A worker walks through Khalifa City in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National -

Fog over Dubai Marina. Courtesy Ollie Maher -

Towers in JLT in Dubai in April 2020. Pawan Singh / The National -

Cars emerge from early morning fog on Muroor Road in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National -

Dense fog blankets the Abu Dhabi skyline with Etihad Towers visible. Erica ElKhershi / The National -

Workers during early morning fog in the Discovery Gardens area in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National -

Dense fog engulfs Abu Dhabi's Al Maryah Island in December 2017. Ravindranath K / The National -

Early morning fog in the Discovery Gardens area in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National -

The sun tries to break through a foggy sky in Dubai. Rajesh Korde / The National -

The Corniche in Abu Dhabi in February 2018. Victor Besa / The National -

The Dubai high rises peek out above the fog. Sarah Dea / The National -

Fog hovers in Ras Al Khaimah. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National -

A gloomy start to a day in Abu Dhabi in 2013. Delores Johnson / The National -

A morning fog rolls in over Abu Dhabi at the public beach in Al Bateen on October 28, 2009. Rich-Joseph Facun / The National -

Buildings on Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi wrapped in fog in 2013. Brian Kerrigan / The National -

Thick morning fog over Dubai Marina. Mark Asquith / The National -

Early morning fog around the Dubai Marina area. Antonie Robertson / The National -

Dubai Marina has almost vanished in the fog with just the walkway visible in 2014. Jaime Puebla / The National -

Dubai Marina in a mix of sunshine and fog in 2014. Jaime Puebla / The National -

Fog reported in areas of Dubai, the Northern Emirates and Al Dhafra on Tuesday. Pawan Singh / The National -

The seaside takes on a calm serenity in 2017. Ravindranath K / The National -

Fog during the morning in the Tecom area in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National -

Reem Island's Gate Towers stand tall above the cloud line in Abu Dhabi. Thamer Al Subaihi / The National -

Despite heavy fog in Abu Dhabi, a woman spends the morning along the shore in January 2011. Rich-Joseph Facun / The National
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If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
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3. More tax audits
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4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
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9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
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