DUBAI(RAHNUMA): Dubai police on Thursday urged residents to stay indoors unless going out was “absolutely necessary” as heavy rainfall was expected across the country, which saw record downpours last year.
The warning came hours after rainfall in the city caused flooding in streets.
“For your safety, please remain cautious as unstable weather conditions are expected in the coming hours, and avoid going out unless it is absolutely necessary until midday on Friday,” said a police alert sent to residents’ phones.
The National Center of Meteorology (NCM) in the UAE warned of rainfall across the country from Thursday to Friday, including in Dubai and the capital Abu Dhabi.
Other Gulf states also experienced heavy rain on Thursday, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar where the downpour caused an Arab Cup third-place match between the Green Falcons and the UAE to be canceled.
Last year in April, record rains lashed the UAE, flooding homes and transforming streets into rivers.
The UAE’s heaviest since records began 76 years ago, the stormy weather killed at least four people, including three Filipino workers and one Emirati.
