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UAE: How rains caused road accidents, collapsed dams on Valentine's Day 43 years ago
It was wettest in Fujairah that experienced 94mm of rain, followed by Dubai which saw 65.7mm of rainfall
- PUBLISHED: Fri 14 Feb 2025, 5:30 AM
It was Valentine’s Day, 43 years ago, but the weather was not feeling amorous as it rained continuously for two days and the relentless downpour drenched almost the entire length of the UAE.
As reported by Khaleej Times on February 14, 1982, Abu Dhabi recorded 54mm of rains in 24 hours. In the same period, Dubai experienced 65.7mm of rain, while Sharjah had 50mm of rainfall. Ras Al Khaimah recorded 42mm, and it was wettest in Fujairah that saw 94mm of rain since the previous day.
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The Dubai Meteorological Office said the unprecedented downpour was caused by an active trough development moving south over the country, causing heavy rains throughout the UAE.
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In Ras Al Khaimah, an earthen dam in Beeh valley collapsed and water from the overflowing wadi gushed out to the west towards the sea, carrying uprooted trees and rocks.
A dam under construction in Fujairah burst due to high pressure, while low lying areas were also affected due to a rise in the sea level.
In Abu Dhabi, most of the main roads and roundabouts were flooded for the second consecutive day, causing heavy traffic jams. Many schools reported less than half attendance of both teachers and students. The Education Ministry deployed special buses to serve stranded students. The capital’s traffic police reported nine road accidents but there were no casualties. The fire brigade, that was on round-the-clock duty, reported rescuing more than 100 cars from water-logged streets.
International travel, however, was not affected. Airports in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah reported normal movements of scheduled flights.
In Dubai, many low-lying areas were logged in knee-deep water. Among the most affected residential areas were Satwa, Karama, and Al Ghusais. While adults were mostly inconvenienced by the situation, children had a field day playing in the water.
Bur Dubai Police Station reported 40 accidents during the rainy two days, where 15 residents were injured. Meanwhile, Al Muraqqabat Police Station reported six accidents in its jurisdiction, with two persons injured.
Most shops remained open but business was generally reported dull. Taxi drivers also found the two days rather bad for business, with most people without cars preferring to remain indoors.
Sharjah was perhaps the worst-hit city in the country with a number of its flooded roundabouts declared closed for motorists. The worst affected areas included Rolla, port area, the Central Market, and the roundabout near the police headquarters. Police reported seven accidents with no serious injuries.
Al Ain Police, meanwhile, declared Al Ain-Dubai road unpassable.
Meteorological sources at the Abu Dhabi International Airport said the two-day downpour surpassed the amount of rainfall record in 1976, which was 90.6 mm for the entire year.
On a positive note, officials at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries expressed optimism that the heavy rainfall helped raise the country’s subterranean water reserves.
Thanweeruddin Mohammad oversees KT research and photo desk. Aside from his daily activities in the newsroom, he is also a fitness enthusiast who loves playing cricket and other outdoor games.