Authorities have issued a flood alert issued in the UAE after heavy rainfall.
The National Centre of Meteorology issued a red alert for the area, cautioning of “hazardous weather events of exceptional severity” while heavy rains hit the three emirates following which a flood alert was issued.
Authorities asked residents of affected areas to take “utmost care” and “avoid valleys, landslides, and flooded areas” with heavy rain recorded in parts of Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah between 3:10pm and 4:21pm.
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The NCM reported heavy rains over Sharjah’s Wadi Al Hilo; Fujairah’s Esfai and Masafi; and Ras Al Khaimah’s Shawkah, Wadi Al Ujaili and Al Layat on Sunday and the rains were witnessed as dusty conditions reduced visibility to less than 500 metres in some areas.
Authorities have urged residents in the country’s east to avoid “dangerous areas” like valleys that will see “heavy water flows” due to rains while an alert prevailed after deadly flash floods hit the eastern region of the UAE last month.
Meanwhile the Emirates Health Services (EHS) urged Eastern Region residents to directly communicate through channels provided by the relevant authorities “in case of dangerous situations that require intervention”.
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The NCEMA further said that it was the wettest July in decades and a “low-pressure system from the east” may cause rains of different intensities in the eastern and southern areas.
“The authority will issue warnings before and during the low-pressure system through media and will announce adequate measures taken by the competent authorities, in addition to activating the early warning system by local police to guide the public and provide them necessary information to be followed,” the NCEMA said.