Dubai, Sharjah & Abu Dhabi: If it rains, the streets become submerged. Commuting becomes a nightmare. It's the same story every year. The drainage systems in the emirates never seem to get fixed. Rain is an annual feature, but so is the misery that comes with it.
The heavy rains once again caught municipalities of many emirates off guard as water flooded the streets, trapping people in their homes and made driving to work an ordeal.
The rains, forecast by the Met authorities, hit Sharjah the worst as residents continued to suffer, braving the flooded streets and hours-long traffic jams for the second day running.
A section of the Emirates Road, one of the main roadways linking Sharjah and Dubai, was partially closed from noon on Tuesday.
Office holiday
Motorists from Sharjah and Ajman spent hours trying to find a way to their workplaces and many turned back, afraid their cars would stall in the water. Some companies gave their staff the day off and others gave them an option to leave early to avoid the traffic.
Many schools closed early yesterday to help children avoid the traffic jams and sent messages to their parents informing them. Humaid Al Qutami, Minister of Education, yesterday instructed educational zones to coordinate with schools if the weather continues to be bad. Parents are advised to log on to the websites of schools to get updates.
The worst of the weather is over, but scattered rain is expected to continue in different areas, especially in the northern and eastern emirates, till tomorrow, meteorologists said.
— With additional inputs from Senior Reporter Anjana Sankar and Al Ain Bureau Chief Aftab Kazmi
