UAE residents are placing sandbags, plastic sheets and towels to shore up their homes and prevent rainwater from flooding villas and apartments with heavy rain forecast through the week.
Many homeowners and tenants said they have learnt lessons from severe flooding in 2024 when record rainfall required a mammoth clean-up operation across the UAE and tankers with pumps were needed to drain water from roads and residential communities.
Rubesh Pillai, a resident of Dubai’s Green Community West, has placed about 400 sandbags to anchor rolls of plastic sheets across large windows in his villa. A victim of floods for several years, the Sri Lankan businessman has spent the past two days attempting to block rainwater from entering his home.
He is taking no chances after the April 2024 rainfall when flood water rose to nearly a metre, damaging furniture.
“When it rains, it floods as this is a low-lying area so to plug the spaces that are not secure, we have put some 400 sandbags and stuck polythene with duct tape,” he said.
“In 2025 we did the same, I had about 500 sandbags and that certainly helped. This time I’ve added more polythene sheets so it will hopefully be more efficient to keep water out. The community also has tankers around the area to pump out the water so they are better prepared this time.”
Rain-proofing homes
Selim Uludokumaci, owner of home-moving company Green Fox, says he has been inundated with emergency calls from residents requesting quick fixes. His team has delivered lorryloads of sandbags over the past two days to customers across the emirate.
“We have had many emergencies with water coming inside from the terrace, windows, doors, everywhere,” he said. “I’ve handled as many as 20 emergencies a day. I will need double the number of employees if this continues for the rest of the week.”
The crew has been accessing pipes on the roofs to clear blockages and applying silicone sealants. “If everything is not properly sealed, water can come in even from badly fitted lights. Sand and leaves will clog the drains and water will break through a small part of the silicone,” he said.
Many residents away from the UAE due to the Iranian missile and drone attacks requested preventative checks when news spread of the stormy conditions.
“There are a lot of people outside the UAE on holiday or waiting overseas for the situation in the Middle East to calm down,” he said. “They called us saying their neighbour or friend has their key and if we can go in to check their apartments and villas. Some people wanted sandbags and we have put this on terraces and in front of windows and doors.”
His expert advice: inspect interior spaces for moisture damage, check window frames for leaks, waterproof the roof, clear sand and leaves from drains, renew silicone sealant to prevent water leaks, and properly position sandbags to prevent water from entering the house.
Readying homes for rain
Claire Paul, a resident of Sharjah’s Al Wahda area, said her family spent hours on Monday night clearing rainwater that seeped into their second floor apartment. “The water poured in from the windows and our furniture is damp,” the Filipino citizen said. “I’m worried about mould but more worried about more rain this week. We have bought extra brooms, buckets and towels to mop up.”
Dubai resident Anna Antonenko has learnt from flooding in her previous home. “We waterproofed the roof in our new home, checked the drains but we still had water come in during the December rains,” the Ukrainian citizen said. “I’m not waiting for rooms and carpets to get soaked so I’ve put plastic sheets on the ground floor windows and added towels in places we know water seeps in.”
Divjot Anand, was among many residents who have ordered sandbags to keep her home dry in Dubai’s Tilal Al Ghaf neighbourhood.
“We bought six sandbags but that is not enough,” she said. “We have put cushions and mats near large windows but will need many more sandbags. Before we moved, we made sure the outside area was sloped, the garden had enough drainage but we still need to take care in heavy rains.”
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Clouds over Abu Dhabi, as seen from Reem Island. Gareth Cox / The National -
A man walks with an umbrella as heavy rain hits Sharjah. Ahmed Ramzan / The National -
Heavy rain fell across the UAE while safety alerts were issued over more adverse weather to come. Ahmed Ramzan / The National -
Another day of heavy rain and flooding in central Abu Dhabi as the National Centre of Meteorology forecast downpours, thunder and windspeeds of up to 55kph for March 25. Victor Besa / The National -
After two days of torrential downpours, residents in the capital were preparing for the rain with waterproof clothing or the ever-reliable umbrella. Victor Besa / The National -
In Sharjah City at Clock Tower roundabout, this resident improvised with a reusable plastic bag to keep the rain off. Antonie Robertson/The National -
Some residents who braved the rain in Sharjah City chose to move as fast as they could through the raindrops. Antonie Robertson/The National -
Birds of a feather gather as the rain falls in Satwa, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Covering your property from the rain in Satwa, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
