Indian dies as downpour floods Dubai; more rain expected over weekend
The UAE will see heavy rainfall today, with continued rain expected on Saturday and Sunday as per weather dept data. An Indian expat lost his life after a wall collapsed due to the torrent.
THE United Arab Emirates will see heavy rainfall today, on 19 December, with continued rain expected on Saturday and Sunday (20-21 December), as per data from the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), Gulf News reported.
Reports added that 27-year-old Salman Fariz, an Indian expat, died in Ras Al Khaimah after a wall collapsed during heavy rains.
Dubai rains: Roads flooded, advisory issued to motorists
The report said that the rainfall that began on 18 December is expected to continue till 21 December due to cloud formations. Strong winds, as high as 50 kmh are expected to cause problems, while waters in the Arabian Gulf and Oman Sea will also be rough due to the weather conditions, the report added.
Emergency response, travel advisory — What we know
The Dubai Municipality has put a 24/7 emergency response system on standby, including specialised teams and equipment to deal with rain-related incidents.
Officials have alerted travel advisory asking people to avoid travelling during the weekend except for emergencies, and many offices have initiated work-from-home (WFH) for employees as the rough weather continues.
Flights have also been disrupted, with airlines, including IndiGo, issuing advisories amid the busiest season of the year.
In a detailed post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), IndiGo stated, “Travel Advisory: Weather conditions across the UAE are forecast to shift, with heavy rainfall and thunderstorms expected. In light of this evolving situation, there may be intermittent impacts to flight operations at various points throughout the day.”
UAE, Dubai rains: What is the weekend forecast?
As per the Gulf News report, on 20 December, conditions are expected to be partly cloudy to cloudy, with rainfall predicted over coastal, northern and eastern areas. Fresh Northwesterly to Southwesterly winds with speeds between 15-30 kmh and expected to rise to 50 kmh are likely. The Arabian Gulf and the Oman Sea are both likely to experience rough waters.
Further, on 21 December, the skies are expected to be partly cloudy, with a probability of rainfall over the islands, coastal and western areas. Fresh light-to-moderate Southwesterly to Northwesterly winds are expected between 10-25 lmh, reaching highs of 35 kmh. The Arabian Gulf and Oman Sea are both likely to experience rough-to-moderate waters.
