Downpour and high winds force pop star Dua Lipa to call off Abu Dhabi concert
Stormy weather swept across the country last night, bringing chaos to roads, causing power cuts and forcing the cancellation of a much-anticipated concert.
Heavy rain lashed the capital as gusty winds broke tree branches, peeled roofs off garages, and blew sand and debris from construction sites into the streets.
The conditions prompted an emergency warning message from police that was sent via text message to all residents, telling them to stay indoors until the bad weather passed.
Light rain began about 6pm but quickly developed into a lightning storm.
The Ministry of Interior tweeted a warning message asking motorists to drive carefully. Residents en route to Dubai reported street-light power failures along Sheikh Zayed Road and heavy traffic.
The storm caused a Dua Lipa concert to mark Louvre Abu Dhabi’s first anniversary to be cancelled, leaving hundreds of fans devastated. The British pop star was set to perform at 8.30pm but the museum was forced to cancel the show, citing safety reasons.
On Twitter, Louvre Abu Dhabi said: “Due to the current inclement weather in Abu Dhabi we have cancelled the Dua Lipa concert at Louvre Abu Dhabi this evening. Health and safety of our visitors is our priority.”
The museum told concert-goers to keep their tickets until further notice as it hopes to reschedule the event.
“I’m absolutely gutted,” said Fiona Rock, who drove from Dubai to attend the concert. “I was really looking forward to seeing Dua Lipa, but at the end of day, safety comes first.”
The bad weather moved on to Dubai where the third One Day International cricket match between Pakistan and New Zealand had to be abandoned.
The Dubai Fitness Challenge – an initiative by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, that calls on residents to do 30 minutes of exercise each day for 30 days – announced the temporary closure of four “fitness villages” until the bad weather passed.
It is likely to be the last of the stormy weather as conditions are expected to be partly cloudy but dry for the rest of the week, according to the National Centre of Meteorology.
Temperatures will range between 16°C and 35°C but are expected to drop further by tomorrow.
The bureau also warned of turbulent seas in the Arabian Gulf with waves up to two metres in height.