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April 1, 2009 at 7:08 am #563

Floods trap visitors in Wadi Al Beih area
By Nasouh Nazzal, Staff Reporter
Published: March 31, 2009, 23:55

Ras Al Khaimah: Sections of the Wadi Al Beih valley shored away and collapsed on Tuesday as a result of the heavy rain.

Parts of the road leading to the valley were also destroyed and a number of vehicles were washed away by floodwater.

Several houses in the area were badly damaged and some families found themselves trapped. Civil units and the Air Wing conducted several rescue operations.

In one case, a family of four, including a toddler, was rescued by the Air Wing after they had been trapped in their vehicle for 12 hours.

The father of the family said they had travelled to Wadi Al Beih on Monday night to see the flood. However, their vehicle was engulfed by floodwater while they were in it.

Major Al Yamahi explained that it was difficult to identify potential dangers posed by floodwaters at night, and that the accompanying bad weather conditions can disrupt communications.

“The section has issued several warnings, yet we still see people going into flooded areas in severe weather conditions and not following the simplest safety instructions.

“Flood-related accidents and deaths must be reduced and people must understand how dangerous it is to put their lives on the line just for the sake of observing the floodwaters,” he said.

Al Yamahi added that Wadi Al Beih residents had tried to help those who had become stuck, only to get into difficulties themselves.

Walid Al Shaibani, a Wadi Al Beih resident, entered the wadi to assist people who had been trapped but ended up in need of help himself. He said the shouts of people on the other side of the wadi had motivated him to try to reach them in his four-wheel-drive vehicle, but he got stuck when the engine cut out. This was reported to the police and a rescue team was sent to help the group get to safety.

Police patrols were deployed in the area to warn visitors and urge them to stay away. Police said that they were still receiving reports from people who had become stuck. They said the situation had become even worse after major sections of the Wadi Al Beih collapsed as a result of the strength of the floodwater.

Assessment: Losses and damages

Shaikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, on Tuesday ordered the setting up of a committee to assess losses and damages in remote areas as a result of heavy rain and flooding over the past few days.

Following the decision by Shaikh Saud, top municipal officials along with officials from the emirate’s other concerned departments visited the remote areas. They will make their recommendations shortly.

The authorities reported that heavy rains have filled a number of dams in the emirate and flooded several wadis.

Two dams in Wadi Al Beih are said to be full to the brim, while wadis in Ghaleelah, Shoukah, Kadra and Al Munaie are flooded. The flash floods also washed away a portion of the main road near Wadi Al Beih dam, stranding several residents who had gathered there.

No rain for next 48 hours

It will be partly cloudy and hazy over the next 48 hours, but there is no chance of rain as the low-pressure system hovering over the UAE has passed by, according to the Dubai Met Office.

A haze settled over the UAE on Tuesday, reducing visibility to about 1,000 metres in Dubai. Sandstorms have developed in the north-west of the UAE and visibility has been reduced to about 500 metres in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

Bahrain and Qatar have also been badly affected, according to Dr S.K. Gupta, duty forecaster.

The haze in Dubai has helped drop the temperature to 27C, with a night-time temperature of 19C. Visibility in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain is better at between 4,000 and 5,000 metres.

Unsettled weather is expected to return with a vengeance late on Friday night, with a strong possibility of rain and thundershowers early on Saturday morning. Rain and thunderstorms have buffeted the UAE.

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