Motorists in the UAE were warned on Tuesday to avoid driving “unless absolutely necessary” as heavy rain, thunder, and lightning were reported nationwide.
Residents across the country woke to black skies and heavy downpours on Tuesday, with the wet spell expected to last until Wednesday morning.
According to the National Center of Meteorology (NCM), unstable weather with rain, thunder, lightning, and hail has been forecasted across the Emirates from Monday evening until midday on Wednesday.
The NCM on Tuesday issued yellow and orange alerts for a significant portion of the country, reporting heavy rain in several areas, including hail in the Al Dhafra region and thunder and lightning in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Fujairah, and Sharjah.
It warned of “hazardous weather events” and wind speeds of up to 70 kph, asking motor-ists to “avoid driving unless necessary” and to exercise caution if traveling.
Videos circulated on social media Tuesday showed waterlogged streets, open manhole covers on roads with gushing water flooding streets, and residents posting about rainwater seeping into their homes.
Streets in areas across Dubai – including popular residential areas like Damac Hills, Barsha and Arabian Ranches – appeared to be submerged in water, with images circulating of motorists struggling to drive through water-clogged roads and residents wading through floodwater.
Other Dubai residents shows lightning bolts flash in the sky as thunder rumbled across the emirate.
Abu Dhabi Police issued an alert on Tuesday, temporarily reducing speed limits to 100 kph on major roads.
Amid weather warnings across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and the Northern Emirates, public schools across the UAE have begun two days of remote learning, while public sector employees in Dubai are working from home on Tuesday.
GCC floods
In the Gulf region, countries have experienced severe weather conditions in the past few days, resulting in fatal floods and significant disturbances.
Floods have been recorded in Oman, in Bahrain's Manama, and in Kuwait, while Saudi Arabia is also gearing up for continued adverse weather conditions until Wednesday.
