(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)
Torrential rains threw life out of gear across the country, as residents struggled to cope with chaos caused by the heavy downpour that lasted for two days, five years ago.
As Khaleej Times reported, it was a Saturday, the second day of unstable weather – on January 11, 2020 – when a domestic worker died after a wall of the house she was working in fell on her, following heavy rains in Ras Al Khaimah's Al Fahleem area. Another Asian worker was swept away by flash floods that day in Wadi Sha'am area. Authorities in the emirate had to evacuate 120 families from their flooded homes.
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A day earlier, on January 10, 2020 (Friday), operations at Dubai International Airport (DXB) were hampered by incessant rains that resulted in a number of flight delays, cancellations, and diversions.
The Dubai Media Office called the rain“unusually heavy". Many schools in the UAE remained shut due to damages caused by the downpours over the weekend. Several roads turned into water ponds. Many routes in Dubai, Sharjah, and the Northern Emirates were blocked, and authorities diverted traffic to avoid chaos.
In Dubai's Al Safa area, near the Sheikh Zayed Road
In Al Quoz, Dubai
In Al Muweilah, Sharjah
“It was the craziest storm in the last 10 years,” tweeted Huss, a Dubai resident. Some residents missed their flights as they were not able to make it to the airport due to roadblocks and traffic caused by flooding.
Roads and valleys in Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain were also flooded.
Strangers turned saviours
But it was also a time when residents banded together and helped each other. Authorities worked overtime to reopen some of the key affected roads. Many motorists had to abandon their cars after getting stuck in the middle of water-logged streets, and strangers turned up and became saviours.
In Al Qasimiya area, Sharjah
In Al Quoz, Dubai
Dubai resident Anjali Menon said she got stuck near Al Quoz for two hours after her car broke down. "Luckily, I got help from two gentlemen and I had to reverse the car and go back home," said Menon.
Another resident said: "I was out yesterday evening, and my car got stuck near Ibn Battutta Mall. Somebody came to help me.”
Both the authorities and volunteers came together and restored normalcy.
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