Al Ain residents struggle to manage flooding water as heavy rains hit

With visibility on the roads seriously affected, especially on stretches of the Dubai-Al Ain Road, several motorists opted to halt their journeys, pulling off to the side of the road or into the nearest mall parking lot to wait for a moment of calm.

AL AIN // Heavy rain and wind lashed Al Ain on Wednesday afternoon, as residents and workers did their best to deal with water rushing into homes, shops and workplaces.

With visibility on the roads seriously affected, especially on stretches of the Dubai-Al Ain Road, several motorists opted to halt their journeys, pulling off to the side of the road or into the nearest mall car park to wait for a moment of calm.

A resident said the underpass next to the well-known Etisalat building on Khalid bin Sultan Street was flooded for part of the morning.

At a restaurant in Mazya, manager Kristoffer Lasay helped staff as they tried to keep water out of the premises.

“I’ve been in the UAE for four years, and I’ve never seen anything like this,” Mr Lasay said.

“I saw the weather forecast, but didn’t expect this. Water came rushing in through our door. Thanks to the rain business has also been very quiet.”

Al Ain resident Beth Coetzee said she had to be careful to avoid water pouring through the roof of another mall in the city.

“People were getting soaked,” she said.

Facebook users shared videos of overflowing wadis and flooded roads, with water reaching above the tyres of some cars.

As in other parts of the emirate, schools in Al Ain were closed for the day.

Al Ain resident Dr Eulalie Pelser said she was grateful for this decision by the government.

“I’ve been here eight years, and the schools have been closed for weather before. But this is the first time I thought that it really was necessary. In my eight years here I have never seen the wadis this full,” Dr Pelser said.

“My husband works in Abu Dhabi, and luckily his company told everyone to leave the building 15 minutes before the storm started.”