Rain brings traffic to a crawl

Dubai/Al Ain: Dubai received its heaviest showers of the winter yesterday, flooding houses and shops and causing hundreds of accidents.

Traffic came to a standstill, shoppers huddled under awnings and ceilings leaked like taps after the skies opened with a vengeance and lightning lit up the sky.

Residents used to waking up to bright sunshine were instead greeted by wind and rain pounding on their windows. Among the worst-hit areas were the new developments in the southern parts of Dubai, with roads, villas and shopping malls all suffering leaks after the rains began in the early morning.

Forecasters say the stormy conditions are likely to last the rest of today and more showers are possible tomorrow.

Police in Dubai said there were 513 accidents during the rain yesterday, although there were no reports of serious injuries.

The situation was similar in Sharjah and Abu Dhabi as rain came down in sheets and caused severe traffic jams.

In Al Ain, rainwater flooded streets and low-lying areas, bringing outdoor life to a virtual standstill for an hour. The duty forecaster at Dubai International Airport said the rainfall in south Dubai was severe but not out of the ordinary: "You expect showers like these somewhere every winter. At least one place usually gets a deluge. It was very heavy rain."

By yesterday evening, 14.6mm of rain had been recorded at Dubai International Airport, although further south in the city far more fell. At Abu Dhabi International Airport there was 16.4mm of rain, while Abu Dhabi city had 4.1mm.

Winds gusted more than 35 knots and warnings were made for air, sea and road travel. The forecaster added: "There is likely to be more rain with thunderstorms early on Friday morning, throughout the day and into the night."