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Rain eases, water woes yet to end

DUBAI — Rain finally began to ease in Dubai and Sharjah on Wednesday afternoon but for the second day waterlogged roads made reaching offices and work at construction sites almost impossible.

Several roads, residential areas and parking lots in Sharjah and Ajman are still under water, making some of them difficult to access and causing traffic snarls.

Students on Wednesday rejoiced in the declaration of a two-day holiday, especially after Tuesday’s day off due to rain and the Monday’s off for Dubai students. Schools are to resume on Sunday by which time rain-related damages will have been repaired.

Sharjah and Ajman workers enjoyed an unofficial holiday for a second day on Wednesday, with employers recognising most offices could not be reached. Only municipality and electricity and water authority emergency workers were required. Work has ceased at nearly all construction sites with some labour camps inaccessible, according to contracting companies.

Operations at the construction sites were expected to continue today but faced a huge clean-up task.

Shopping malls have benefited from residents making the most of their time off and centres have reported strong sales.

Several cases of electrocution and fire due to the rains were reported in Sharjah and Dubai.

However, several groceries and small-size supermarkets in both Dubai and Sharjah have been hit by a sudden scarcity of perishable items like milk, bread and eggs, owing to heavy rains over the last two days.

Absence of delivery boys at the supermarkets in Dubai and Sharjah in the last two days means many supermarkets face huge business losses as well, sources said. The big supermarket chains, however, faced no major supply problems.

Over 1,500 minor and major accidents in Dubai, some 237 accidents in Sharjah and 37 in Ajman were recorded over the last two days. Accidents continued to occur across the emirates’ roads and maximum speed limits on highways have been reduced to 60kmph.

Sharjah Police patrols towed away more than 300 broken down vehicles and Dubai Police have towed 100 vehicles during the past two days.

A landslide forced a road closure in the Al Ramla area of Umm Al Quwain.

Hospitals and clinics across the emirates have reported a significant increase in the number of injuries related to slips and falls caused due to the persisting wet conditions. An increase in coughs and the common cold case has also been noted.

Dubai International Airport meteorological office duty forecaster Dr S. K. Gupta said a total of 108mm of rain had fallen in Dubai as of on Wednesday afternoon.

Dr Gupta predicted rain to ease overnight with fine weather today and scattered clouds.

“It will be fine during the weekend but night time temperatures will be cooler, with minimums of about 12 degree Celsius and daytime temperatures between 21 and 22 degree Celsius,” he said.

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