Dubai: An Indian woman living in International City has not stepped out of her house since Friday evening due to heavy waterlogging in the community.
Asha Manoharan 37, who lives in England cluster of International City, said her car has been stuck in deep water since Friday evening. Since then, she has been waiting patiently for a miracle to happen and for the water levels to go down.
In an interview with Gulf News, Manoharan said she went out on Friday evening, January 10. “I went shopping at Dragon Mart. I returned home late evening. After that, I have not stepped out of the house at all.”
On Saturday, January 11, Manoharan said her daughter, who studies in Grade 10 at an Indian school in Dubai, woke up early in the morning to some rumbles, thunder, lightning.
"At first she thought it was the wind blowing hard. But when she stepped out of her window she saw it was raining. At the time, it was too dark to gauge the severity of the flooding. It was only when the sun started to come out and the sky lit up that we saw the entire area was flooded. My car was stuck deep in water. I was shocked and did not know what to do,” she said.
Massive rains splashed across the entire city of Dubai during the last three days and many parts of the city were flooded deep in water.
Incident in International City not isolated
The incident in International City is not an isolated one, but one seen across the city and in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah as well. On Sunday evening, trucks were deployed in the area to drain the rain water out. Many low level areas in Dubai and Sharjah were in deep water as well.
Manoharan said the water level remained high for two consecutive days – Saturday to Sunday – and shared pictures of the water level finally subsiding on Monday morning. However pictures that she took on Sunday, sent to Gulf News, showed the car park in front of her building surrounded by muddy, bumper high water. Cars were submerged in bumper high water.
Flooding is said to have started here in International City on Friday evening.
Worried about the damages
Manoharan said once the water level recedes, she will call a rescue operator to take her car to the nearest garage to check for any damages. “I am praying that it will not be damaged.”
A Nakheel spokesperson said : “We are working round the clock to restore normalcy at the community, following the weekend's rainfall.”
Meanwhile, flooding was reported in other areas of UAE.
The new Dubai locales were also flooded with rain water, as was Abu Dhabi and Sharjah as well. In The Lakes community, residents even saw a shower of hailstones right in their backyard.
Weather forecast
According to the National Center of Meteorology (NCM), the skies will remain cloudy across the emirates, particularly over the islands, coastal areas, in Abu Dhabi and Fujairah. There is possibility of rainfall.
Residents in UAE stuck in floods
Five tips to protect your car in rainy days
You must take good care of your vehicle to ensure not only the driving safety but also its tip-top condition for years to come. Follow these tips for car maintenance in rainy season:
1. Don’t let rainwater sit on your vehicle for long time
It’s detrimental to the paint of the body. So, wash the car after you are done with the driving for the day. If you need to stay outside for a long time, using wax polish could be a feasible solution. It creates a thin protective layer on the paint and makes water to roll off easily.
2. Seal off the openings
It’s important so that rain does not leak inside the car. It’s your duty to check the rubber lining on doors before the arrival of the monsoon. Repair or replace them in case the linings are torn off or damaged. Moreover, grease the door hinges to make them completely watertight. The exposed metal parts may develop rust due to the continuous exposure to water. Spray these areas with an anti-corrosion product to prevent the weathering.
3. Wash it…frequently
It might not make sense to the rookie drivers as they think that rain is doing that job relentlessly. The truth is any vehicle collects more dirt and grime while driving on wet surfaces and muddy tracks.
Frequent cleaning will protect your car in rainy days from contaminants that can damage the paint. Besides, it will neutralize the acidity in the rain water. However, don’t forget to use a good-quality car shampoo because the dirt and debris will scrub and scratch the soft paint if you don’t lubricate the surface.
4. Protect the interiors from water and moisture
Despite taking all the preventive measures, it’s not rare to discover wet carpet and flooring when you are driving in the rain. You should use fabric mats instead of the rubber ones so that they can soak the liquid and always keep extra sets to replace in the time of emergency.
Use a vacuum cleaner and keep a bottle of essential oil or fresh herbs such as mint, rosemary, chamomile, etc. to remove the bad odor. If the seats get wet, avoid the development of mildew by keeping the windows open when parked in the garage.
5. Take care of tires
The monsoon is a test for the tires because you have to often drive on slippery, muddy surfaces. So, the tread should be at the right depth, and the inflation should be at the proper level to ensure better driving comfort and protect your car in rainy days.
