As heavy rainfall swept through the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Dubai Police’s Command and Control Center was inundated with calls.
In 24 hours, the center received 16,610 calls on the emergency numbers 999 and 901, with the majority of calls being related to road accidents.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Bilal al-Tayer, Acting Director of the Command and Control Center, 15,286 of these calls were made to the 999, while 1,324 calls were made to the 901, which is a non-emergency helpline.
The influx of calls was handled between 12 PM (Wednesday and 12 (Thursday), as the harsh downpour caused disruptions across the emirate.
The heavy rainfall, thunder, and lightning, this week, have forced some schools to switch to online classes and led to the closure of tourist spots and roads.
Lt. Col. Bilal assured the public that Dubai Police is ready to handle any situation and advised them to only call 999 in emergencies and to use 901 for non-emergency inquiries.
In light of the adverse weather conditions, Lt. Col. Bilal asked motorists to stay alert while driving and to be aware of potential hazards such as flash floods and strong winds.
He also advised beach-goers to take necessary safety precautions and avoid entering the sea during unstable conditions.
As the UAE prepares for another day of rainfall, with more downpours expected on Friday and a chance of further rain on Saturday, the National Center of Meteorology (NCM) has alerted people to stay vigilant during this unstable weather.
