Dubai: A rare July rainstorm dumped the equivalent of 5,000 average swimming pools of water in dry central areas of the UAE, the Ministry of Water and Environment said on Wednesday.
The event in July, one of the driest months of the year, is a boon for local residents across central parts of the country who depend on water for irrigation and cultivation, said the ministry.
The captured water is transferred from the Falaj channels to Philly area where old forts and palm plantations are located. The irrigation channels help green these areas.
The substantial storm, punctuated with heavy downpours on July 14, dumped an estimated 219,000 cubic metres (48 million gallons) of water which was captured and channelled to lakes and reservoirs in UAE’s Central Region, said the ministry in a statement on Wednesday.
Every drop helps in a country that receives about 100mm of rainfall every year on average.
Mariam Mohammad Saeed Hareb, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Water Resources and Nature Conservation, said the medium to heavy rains were not only concentrated in the central areas.
Heavy precipitation also “poured down on the Central Region’s various areas and also affected the north region of Shoka and the south region of Philly.”
She noted that approximately 151,300 cubic metres of water flowed into Nasas and the lake of Philly 1, 2 and 3 in Sharjah, while about 68,000 cubic metres flowed into a Ras Al Khaimah dam.
The ministry’s operational plan for 2014-2016 regarding maintenance work and dam and water installations in central region was completed in June in coordination with the Ministry of Public Works.
The plan included the development and renovation of Falaj Philly so it can benefit from the rainwater harvested in Lake Philly 2.
By maintaining the lakes, dams and barriers, the Ministry of Environment and Water also hopes to promote heritage tourism as well as emphasise among workers the importance of observing safety requirements in accordance with the set rules and regulations.
