Dubai: Amid the chaos and damage in Dubai on Wednesday due to heavy thunderstorms, something stood out — the residents’ willingness to help those in need.
Communities and industrial areas in the Jebel Ali area were inundated in two to four feet of water on Wednesday when torrential rains hit the city from morning until 4pm. Neighbourhoods surrounding the area such as Jebel Ali Village, The Gardens, Discovery Gardens, suffered the most as waters coming from the high point of the hilly Jebel Ali came rushing down, dragging thick mud and debris.
Jebel Ali Village resident Ranil De Silva said out of the 307 single-storey houses there, more than 100 houses were badly affected, including his.
“The water came inside the house and suddenly the back wall could not stand the pressure of the water and it just collapsed in one go. When it collapsed, the adjoining house got [hit by] a flashflood,” De Silva, a group treasury and insurance manager, told Gulf News.
De Silva survived the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka, but he lost many relatives there.
The flash floods in his neighbourhood brought back bad memories, he said. But he is grateful the floods only took away material things and spared people’s lives.
Community spirit
The best part, he said, is despite the tragedy, community spirit prevailed.
“Three villas were two feet under water and mud that came from the mountain. The residents lost all of their furniture, most of their electronics. But people came to help clear up the mud.”
“By evening, the residents of the houses on the top of the mountain that did not get affected came down and tried to help put blockages to ensure no further rainwater would come through to the house.”
De Silva said neighbours suddenly showed up with shovels when he was removing mud in his backyard. Many more came up with small gestures that went a long way.
Some neighbours opened up their homes for those whose houses needed to be evacuated. Some mothers offered to care for kids whose parents were busy in the clearing process. The neighbours took turns keeping watch in the night for fear of another flash-flood.
Others offered tea, coffee, sterilised for feeding bottles and even takeout lunches for those whose kitchens were completely damaged.
In their Facebook community, Lynn Coy, the administrator, wrote: “I have never ever lived in a place where the community spirit was so strong and it was truly incredible to see people just mucked in regardless of their own trauma at their home …”
Similar acts of heroism happened not far away in Dubai Investment Park (DIP).
James Falchetto was on his way to pick up his daughter, while Johnny Salvador was picking up his niece, who were stranded in the rain using their company vehicles — a pickup truck and Unimog (multi-purpose four-wheel drive medium truck) with a 4 feet ground clearance that can tackle anything and even go up walls.
But when they saw many more who needed help, they sprang into action without second thought.
“I was ferrying people in my community, the Green Community. If you can help, why not? But it’s not just us. A lot of people did that too with their own means,” said Falchetto, an occupational safety professional and general manager of Traks Pro, a provider of rope access, climbing, rescue equipment and training.
For a man who drove around in streets flooded in three to four feet of water for hours to help stranded strangers, Falchetto is most self-effacing. He just happened to have the right vehicle, he said, and it was put to good use on that day.
“A lot of people were helping. It’s nice to see the people of the community come together in times of hardship. It made me feel good. ”
