Following last week’s historic rainfall and ensuing floods, the UAE has unveiled a Dh2 billion fund to aid citizens in repairing their damaged homes. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, described the recent rains as unprecedented.
According to Khaleej Times, the country’s control rooms fielded over 200,000 distress calls from residents, underscoring the extensive damage inflicted upon residential properties.
On Tuesday, April 16, the nation experienced a year’s worth of rainfall in a single day. The UAE recorded 6.04 billion cubic meters of rainwater within 24 hours, compared to its annual average of 6.7 billion cubic meters. This deluge led to widespread flooding in numerous communities and homes, resulting in flight cancellations, disruptions to public transportation services, and motorists being stranded on waterlogged roads.
“The severity of the weather situation was unprecedented. But we are a country that learns from every experience and develops itself,” remarked Sheikh Mohammed during a Cabinet meeting in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
More than 17,000 security and emergency services personnel, along with thousands of volunteers, mobilized to address the aftermath of the rains.
“Our dams are full, our valleys flowed, and our groundwater reserves swelled. We learned lessons in dealing with severe rains and bolstered our readiness to be better prepared for the future,” added the Vice-President.
Tragically, at least four individuals lost their lives in the floods. One Emirati perished after his car was swept away in a valley, while two Filipinos succumbed to suffocation inside their vehicle during the flood. Another individual passed away in an accident.
