UAE | Environment

Thunder and heavy down pours continue in some parts of the UAE

Heavy rain accompanied by thunder and hailstorm hit Al Ain and other parts of the country on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, bringing temperature down.

  • By Aftab Kazmi, Bureau Chief and Nasouh Nazzal, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 11:03 January 14, 2009
  • Gulf News

  • Moderate rain continued in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and some other parts of the UAE on Wednesday.
  • Image Credit: Aftab Kazmi/Gulf News
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Al Ain/Ras Al Khaimah/Fujairah: Heavy rain accompanied by thunder and hailstorms hit Al Ain and some other parts of the UAE on Tuesday night, with forecasts of more rain and hailstorms on Wednesday.

There is also a chance of rain in Dubai and some parts of the northern emirates.

"It might be frozen over the tops of mountains in the morning," said weathermen at the National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS).

In Ras Al Khaimah, a 21-year-old Emirati died Wednesday after losing control of his vehicle, which overturned several times after he tried to avoid colliding with a truck.

RAK Traffic and Licensing Department also announced that 40 road accidents were reported yesterday morning - those suffering moderate and minor injuries were hospitalised.

Dubai, Abu Dhabi and some other parts of the UAE also had light rain or drizzle on Wednesday.

It was drizzling until midday in Al Ain yesterday and the accumulated water forced traffic to crawl, although there were no serious accidents.

In Fujairah, rain and thunderstorms hit many parts of the emirate from the early hours of yesterday morning. The rainfall caused some moderate-scale flooding in mountainous areas, but nothing out of the ordinary, said Lieutenant Colonel Ali Al Tenaiji, Director of Fujairah Civil Defence.

Weathermen said conditions will continue to be cloudy to partly cloudy in general across the UAE and more rain is expected today in Dubai and the northern emirates. The sea will also be rough to moderate with four to six foot high waves offshore and will ease to three to five foot tomorrow.

The maximum temperature in most of the UAE was 21C and this fell to 10C in different areas.

"We expect the weather will settle down by Friday afternoon," the meteorologists said yesterday.

- With inputs from Fuad Mohammed Ali, Staff Reporter

Warning: Roads become slippery

Major Marwan Abdullah Jakka, Deputy Director of Moral Guidance and the Public Relations Department, Ras Al Khaimah, warned that most accidents occurred on rainy days.

"Roads become more slippery, the friction between the road and the vehicles' tyres is limited and visibility is poor, and this can cause fatal accidents," he said.

He urged people to avoid mountainous areas, beaches, dams and valley areas. He also requested fishermen to suspend their fishing activities during this period. All sections of the Police department yesterday announced they were prepared to deal with the adverse weather conditions.


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