Dubai: Major General Al Muzeina, Commander in Chief of Dubai Police, dismissed rumours that a part of Palm Jumeirah Island was "sinking".
He spoke out in response to unfounded claims circulating through social media that a portion of the iconic palm-shaped land reclamation project was submerged in seawater.
The dismissal is the latest in a string of baseless speculation in recent years that one of Dubai's most famous signature landmarks was being washed away.
In fact, Palm Jumeirah is built on a bed of rock.
"It is nothing more than a leak from the main water pipe which led to the disruption of traffic movement," the Dubai Police stated on its Facebook page. "Competent bodies were in the field resolving the issue and traffic movement went back to normal."
The police also tweeted a clarification.
Maj. Gen. AlMuzainah denies rumors regarding causes of yesterday's Palm Jumeirah severe traffic disruption. http://t.co/zZ6xlPdf67— Dubai Policeشرطة دبي (@DubaiPoliceHQ) September 26, 2014
Al Muzeina is also Dubai's Crisis and Disaster Management Team Leader.
The buzz surrounding the so-called sinking stems from the Thursday evening evacation of residents from a Shoreline building, a mid-rise residential complex, which was reportedly flooded due to a burst pipe.
According to media reports, residents were forced to flee their apartments after the incident and created a stir and up to five hours of traffic chaos.
Residents said the incident cut off all outbound traffic from the Atlantis The Palm.
Some people reported being stuck in traffic for up to five hours on Thursday night trying to leave the Palm.
A resident suggested that: "Nobody including police knew what was going on. Fortunately the monorail was operating."
