Rain, hail, thunder batter UAE : RTA announces road closures

January 26, 2023

The UAE came to a standstill this week as heavy rains lashed across the emirates. Residents in the UAE may expect cloudy skies all this week. The National Center of Meteorology (NCM) has previously issued a yellow warning suggesting clouds in the country’s western regions.

#تنبيه #المركز_الوطني_للأرصاد #Alert #NCM pic.twitter.com/2oJYRIyuJ8
— المركز الوطني للأرصاد (@NCMS_media) January 26, 2023

Yesterday’s downpour led to a number of road closures today in Dubai. Dubai Police issued an advisory on how drivers can stay safe out on the roads during the rain. The meteorology centre also stated that temperatures will drop this week to as low as 16°C in Dubai and 14°C in Abu Dhabi. In the Northern Emirates, it is expected to go as low as 10°C. The authorities in the eastern region have taken necessary measures to ensure safety and prevent rainwater from accumulating on roads once heavy rain hits the area. Some private schools in the UAE, including at least one in Dubai, switched to remote learning on Thursday as unstable weather conditions persisted in the country. The country’s labour authority, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, which regulates private sector companies, said employers must “ensure the safety of their employees”. This would include allowing for working from home where needed. Most food delivery companies took their riders off the roads on Wednesday as the streets became waterlogged. There were showers throughout the night on Thursday, which had mostly subsided by the morning. Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced on Thursday that certain roads will be closed to the public due to waterlogging.

– The intersection of Al Asayel Street with Latifa Bint Hamdan Street, both directions of the street have been closed. Please use the alternative roads: First Al Khail Street, Latifa bint Hamdan Street and Umm Suqeim Street.
— RTA (@rta_dubai) January 26, 2023

The intersection of Al Asayel Street with Latifa Bint Hamdan Street is also closed in both directions. The following alternative routes can be used: First Al Khail Street, Latifa Bint Hamdan Street and Umm Suqeim Street. RTA tweeted that Al Sabkha Tunnel is now open. It was earlier closed in both directions, with traffic diverted to the traffic light intersection above the tunnel. The authority had tweeted that motorists could take the Sheikh Zayed Road, First Al Khail Street or Al Yalayis as alternatives.