Look: Motorists Stranded, Flights Diverted When Heavy Sandstorm Struck UAE 19 Years Ago

September 5, 2006 – the day began like any ordinary summer day: It was humid and sunny with clear skies. The wind was blowing light to moderate and freshening at times. But at around 3pm came a sharp shift in weather as heavy sandstorm swept across most parts of the UAE.

Thick, dark clouds quickly blanketed the sky, and strong, dusty winds lashed the country until late evening. Motorists were caught off guard by the intense dust storm and were stranded on the road as visibility dropped sharply to less than 100 metres. Even pedestrians struggled to cross the road as the sandstorm swept major roads, blanketing Dubai and Sharjah in dust.

As reported by Khaleej Times 19 years ago, several flights at Dubai and Sharjah International Airports were delayed and rerouted to Abu Dhabi due to severe weather conditions. Public beaches were temporarily shut after authorities issued warnings urging swimmers and picnickers to avoid the sea during the storm.

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A thunderstorm activity abruptly developed in the eastern region of Fujairah and moved swiftly westward, covering Dubai and the Northern Emirates, said Dr G.K. Gupta, who was then a forecaster at the Meteorological Office at Dubai International Airport.

Moderate to heavy rains fell in various parts of Fujairah , including Thoban, Masafi, and Al Sijy, which experienced heavy rainfall that led to a power outage in the area.

Several cars were seen wading through rainwater on flooded roads in Fujairah following heavy rainfall.

Thankfully, the rains helped ease the sandstorm that had swept across parts of the country, where the dust had reduced visibility to nearly zero. Fujairah also saw a noticeable drop in temperature, falling below the average for that period.

Meanwhile, the sudden and drastic change in weather not only caused disruption for residents, but also led to several minor road accidents in Dubai and Sharjah, according to authorities.

Due to the thick cloud of dust, the Flight Information Desk at Dubai International Airport reported delays in both inbound and outbound flight operations. However, despite the delays, no flights were cancelled. At Sharjah International Airport, two Air Arabia flights - one from Damascus and the other from Alexandria - were initially rerouted to Abu Dhabi but eventually landed in Sharjah after an hour.

Ajman police officials reported no accidents, but there were two road accidents in Sharjah, which officials claimed may not have been due to the bad weather conditions.

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