Traffic goes haywire; patrols unclog roads
dubai — As heavy rains lashed the country in the last two days, traffic had gone haywire with several accidents reported across the emirates. In Dubai alone, 147 accidents were logged within four hours on Monday. The police received 2,566 emergency calls between 6am and 10am.
Colonel Mohammad Al Muhairi, acting director of command and control centre, urged motorists to keep a safe distance between cars and adjust their speed to the weather conditions.
“Allow extra time for your journey and check your planned route. It’s also advisable to slow down as rain makes roads slippery,” he added.
The Dubai Municipality has dispatched emergency teams across the emirate to work round the clock during the unstable weather. Prepared with equipment and safety tools, the teams were tasked to clear waterlogging and respond to traffic accidents amidst the downpour, which is expected to continue till Tuesday.
Sharjah and Ajman
Traffic was stalled in Sharjah and Ajman on Monday morning, because of flooded streets and waterlogged arterial roads.
Some 108 patrols were on duty in Sharjah to ensure motorists’ safety.
Lt-Colonel Mohammed Al Allai, director of the traffic department in Sharjah, said the patrols had been deployed since the early hours of the morning to organise traffic and prevent mishaps.
No major accidents took place, except minor collisions that were handled by Rafid patrols, he said. A number of motorists were rescued after their cars broke down and got stuck in the water.
Speaking to Khaleej Thabet Al Taraifi, director-general of the Sharjah Municipality, said their three mobile stations called Al Sadd were operated to clear roads of rainwater, with each one pumping out about two million litres of water in an hour. Al Sadd is the first of its kind in the region.
Ajman’s emergency teams have also been conducting clearing operations since the first hours of the downpour.
Abdulrahman Al Nuaimi, director-general of the Ajman Municipality, said 65 pumping machines have been distributed across the emirate.