The people of the Emirates are closely following the weather situation after the disaster that occurred last week, and according to weather forecasts, there is a high chance of rain.
Rainy days are something that UAE residents always look forward to. But with severe rains predicted for this week, they are already stockpiling food, using sandbags to safeguard their businesses, and relocating their automobiles to safe places. They are being proactive since they are still remembering the April 16 floods and deluges that affected the nation.
The nation is expected to see strong rains and erratic weather, according to a warning from the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM). The erratic weather will be at its worst on May 2 and 3.
preventing water damage to a bookshop
Residents have taken the required precautions to protect their homes and businesses in reaction to the weather forecast. Owners of Bookends, a bookstore in Dubai's Silicon Oasis, Grace Karim and her partner Somia Anwar have made the decision to spend the night there.
"The last time we visited, we were taken aback by how dilapidated our shop was." In order to stay informed of everything going on and to prepare for any emergencies, we chose to spend the night in the shop this time," Karim told Khaleej Times.
Additionally, they have brought in sandbags to protect the property from flood damage. During the last big rainfall, approximately 13,000 books were damaged, resulting in significant losses for their store.
defending auto dealerships
Car dealership owners are also taking preemptive measures to protect their companies in order to prevent the kind of harm that has already happened to them. "About 47 cars were damaged in the last hailstorm that happened in Al Ain," stated Mahmoud Ahmed, the owner of N1 Motors.
This time, Ahmed was more cautious because weather predictions told him to take the required actions to prevent losses.
"As the showroom can only hold four cars, the outside cars are covered and raised off the ground to prevent water damage," he stated. As a result, expensive cars were parked inside."
Owner of the Emirates Top Car Showroom in Al Ain, Riyadh Darwish, has adopted a different strategy to guard his vehicles from harm. "We have taken precautions by renting warehouses to store cars, to avoid what happened in the previous wave," Darwish said.
An emergency supply kit and additional apparel
On April 16, Thomas Alexander, a worker in the food service sector, was stranded in his automobile for about six hours. He was a diabetic patient who had to ditch his automobile in the river to survive because he had been without access to his prescriptions for an extended period of time.
"I ordered an improved automobile after my original one flooded, and it should arrive this evening. Since it's an SUV, I anticipate that it will fix the previous issues. In order to avoid any surprises, I usually carry a day's worth of clothing and medical supplies in my car," Alexander stated.
Since Alexander's employment necessitates his attendance at most meetings, he came up with a backup plan that allows everyone to meet electronically.
Since we are only human, situations often cause us to forget things, but not this time! This time, we felt that my staff and I should have a strategy in place in case the weather turned extremely nasty," he continued.
The locals are resolved not to allow the torrential rains bring down their spirits. They pray that the next rainstorm won't be as bad as the last one, even as they brace themselves for the unexpected. During this period of bad weather, they want to limit potential damage and protect their own safety.
Choosing secure substitutes
Indian expat Ligin Thomas resolved not to drive in the rain again after learning from his prior mistake. "I've already made the decision to work from home if the weather gets worse like the last time. I refuse to attempt and take the chance. He declared, "I would never risk driving my car, even if I had to commute to work."
Additionally, he made the decision to leave his automobile in a secure spot—an elevated spot far from any potential flood zones or areas with standing water.
assemble a supply of necessities
Lamya Hussain, an expat Syrian who spent three days at home after the storm on April 16th, had to learn her lesson the hard way. I had a hard time placing food orders for those three days. It was closed and no meal delivery service was taking orders." Several delivery apps have taken precautions to safeguard riders' safety in reaction to the dangerous weather conditions that followed the storm on April 16.
I couldn't stock up on food because I am usually away for work. This time, though, I'm buying necessities, canned food, and other items that I will undoubtedly require if I work from home, Hussain added.
