Fujairah hotels warned against raising prices as room demand soars amid floods in UAE

Authorities received a number of complaints in the past two days from people who said they were being significantly overcharged

Volunteers from the community service group Takatof sweep debris from a road, after the floods in Fujairah. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Takatof volunteers carry the collected debris away with a wheelbarrow. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Municipality workers drain water from a flooded road in Fujairah. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

The volunteers work on another part of the road. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Workers pump floodwaters from the roads into tankers in Fujairah city. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Life was returning to normal in the emirate, on Saturday. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

A vehicle surrounded by floodwaters. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Receding floodwaters in Fujairah city. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Eminence Private School surrounded by water after heavy rains in Fujairah. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Authorities are continuing with a clean-up operation in the city. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Waterlogged streets in Fujairah. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Sadaf Resturant during a clean-up and renovations after the floods. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

A waterlogged street in Kalba. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Residents Tarikul Alauddin and Mojammel Ali, from Bangladesh, outside their house in Kalba, which was heavily damaged by flooding and left with no electricity. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Property belonging to Wali Said, from Pakistan, inside his flooded home in Kalba. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Abdelbasit Hassan's home and car (not pictured) were damaged by the heavy rainfall in Kalba. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Tahidul Islam, from Bangladesh, sweeps out dirty water after the floods in Kalba subsided. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Municipality workers clean up an area affected by floods in Fujairah. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Staff at a restaurant scoop up water surrounding the premises in Fujairah. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Lorries slowly make their way on a heavily flooded road in the city. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

A car swept into a ditch by floodwaters in Fujairah. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

A construction vehicle partially submerged on a street in the city. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

People walk across pools of water. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

A vehicle stalled by heavy rain and floodwaters in Fujairah on Friday. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

A flooded area in Fujairah city. Photo: Fujairah Media Office

Jama Al Ghurfa Mosque on Fujairah's corniche surrounded by floodwaters. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Vehicles on a waterlogged road in the city. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

A food and entertainment area surrounded by water in Fujairah, after days of rain. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Vehicles partially submerged on the streets of the city. Photo: Mahesh Jangam / @MaheshMj80202 / Twitter

A stalled minibus on a street in Fujairah. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

A flooded shop on the corniche in Fujairah. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Drivers navigate a flooded motorway in Fujairah. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Floodwaters surround a leisure and entertainment area in Fujairah. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Towers in Fujairah city surrounded by floodwaters. Photo: Mahesh Jangam / @MaheshMj80202 / Twitter

A dam in the emirate of Fujairah overflows. Photo: Fujairah Media Office

A car makes its way through floodwaters . Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Authorities in flood-affected Fujairah have warned hotels against exploiting demand for bookings by hiking room rates.

Fujairah Tourism and Antiquities Authority received a number of complaints in the past two days from people who said they were being significantly overcharged for stays.

The authority issued a circular to hotels urging them not to raise prices during the period of hazardous weather.

The notice, which has been seen by The National, said "necessary measures" would be taken against establishments that inflate fees. It did not give further details on what the penalties would be.

At least 870 people were rescued by emergency teams after flash floods in the UAE's Northern Emirates, the government said.

In total, 3,897 people were placed in temporary accommodation in Sharjah and Fujairah and they will remain there until their homes are considered safe.

Room rate trebled for family seeking shelter

An Emirati father of five said he and his family faced exorbitant hotel charges after their home in Fujairah was flooded on Wednesday evening.

“The house was flooded and we just had to leave it at the soonest possible chance,” said the man, 50, who asked to remain anonymous.

“We had no place to go so we headed to a hotel that I know very well since I’m a Fujairah resident.”

He said the hotel typically charged between Dh150 and Dh250 per room.

“When we booked the rooms, we were charged Dh850 per night for each room,” said the man.

“They [the hotel] are taking advantage of people’s misery and need.”

Fujairah's City Plaza hotel said it received the circular and had maintained its standard rates.

“We received the circular from Fujairah tourism in which they stressed on the importance of hotels refraining from raising prices in light of the current conditions,” said Hasnain Raza Jhandeer, a member of the reception desk team at the hotel.

“At least three guests who came to us asking for rooms yesterday said they went to other hotels that have increased their prices,” said Mr Jhandeer.

“They [hotel guests] said they were asked to pay between Dh800 and Dh1,000 for rooms that usually cost much less.”

Couple decide to stay in car

The National visited a number of hotels in Fujairah on Thursday that were fully booked by local families, residents of other emirates and citizens of Oman.

Abu Rashid, an Emirati from Dubai, had driven along with his wife to Fujairah to enjoy the cooler weather.

“Several hotels we went to were all fully booked and we didn’t find any vacant rooms anywhere,” he said.

“We decided to spend the night in the car, and we did.”