Father and son drown after heavy flooding in Ras Al Khaimah

Police say father died trying to save son who fell into a hole flooded with water

The 39-year-old father had attempted to rescue his son, 13, after he fell into a hole filled with water after days of downpours in the emirate. Photo: RAK Police

A father and son drowned on Wednesday following heavy flooding in Ras Al Khaimah, police said.

Ras Al Khaimah Police said in a statement that the 39-year-old father had attempted to rescue his son, 13, after he fell into a hole filled with rainwater after days of downpours in the emirate.

The force said it had received a call about the incident, which occurred at Wadi Shehah on Wednesday afternoon.

A rescue team using inflatable boats were able to pull the father and son from the large hole, but neither could be saved.

The bodies of the deceased were transferred to a hospital in the emirate.

They were due to be buried at 10pm on Wednesday evening.

The UAE has been battered by rain this week, prompting authorities to issue weather warnings.

The National Centre of Meteorology has urged people to stay away from flooded areas and told them to be on alert.

The centre recorded heavy rain across a number of areas in Ras Al Khaimah on Wednesday morning.

The emirate received 4mm of rain in one day, causing the formations of waterfalls and streams in the mountains and making wadis overflow.

Although the UAE receives a relatively small amount of rainfall each year, spells of wet weather are not uncommon.

In July, seven people died as the country recorded its largest amount of rainfall in 30 years.

More than 800 people were rescued and thousands placed in temporary accommodation in Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah after the summer deluge led to flooding.

Clean-up operations were launched all over the Emirates after the extreme weather caused widespread destruction.

Rain in UAE — in pictures