Residents in the UAE prepare well in advance for rain after learning lessons from last month

Residents in the UAE were well-prepared for the anticipated challenging weather conditions on May 2, learning from the unprecedented rainfall that occurred last month. As weather forecasts warned of bad weather conditions, residents wasted no time in protecting their homes and businesses against the impending rainfall.

Small businesses took proactive measures by stacking sandbags near entrances to prevent water from infiltrating their premises. Shaheen Grocery in Abu Shagara, Sharjah, closed its doors earlier than usual on May 1 and stacked sandbags in front of the entrance to prevent water seeping into the store. The cashier at the shop mentioned that after the heavy rainfall on April 16, it took them days to clear out the water that had entered the shop, so they didn’t want to take any chances this time.

Some residential buildings also safeguarded their maintenance areas and basements from water entry by placing sandbags and barricades. Residents like Ahmed Zahoor and Firdouse Khan stocked up on essentials ahead of time to avoid shortages like they experienced during the previous rainfall. Zahoor drove to a nearby supermarket on May 1 to stock up on essentials, while Khan adjusted their monthly shopping routine by completing it earlier than usual.

Parking safely was also a priority for residents, with Rukn Al Yasmeen garage in Sharjah’s Industrial Area relocating vehicles to higher ground to avoid damage from flooding. Asim, the owner of the garage, mentioned that they had to tow the vehicles to a different location to ensure safety. Residents also took steps to protect their vehicles by parking them safely, with one individual even walking over a kilometre to avoid damage to his car.

Overall, residents in the UAE were proactive and took necessary precautions to ensure the safety of their homes, businesses, and vehicles during the anticipated challenging weather conditions. By learning from the past experiences and being well-prepared, they were able to mitigate potential risks and minimize the impact of the rainfall on their daily lives.