DUBAI // Wet and windy weather caused numerous accidents and disruption on roads across the country on Tuesday, with forecasters warning of similar conditions over the weekend.
Parents in Sharjah had to wade through muddied car parks taking children to school, while puddles on roads resulted in several accidents as drivers aquaplaned or lost control of their vehicles.
Dubai Police recorded 160 traffic incidents between midnight and 8am on Tuesday and also received 1,423 calls from residents needing assistance in the bad weather.
Early indications suggest that 57mm of rain fell across the country from Tuesday morning to the afternoon, according to forecasters at the National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology in Abu Dhabi.
“We expect the unstable weather to ease on Wednesday as much of the cloud heads away from the UAE,” said a forecaster.
“However, unstable weather is likely to return on Thursday and stay until at least Sunday, bringing with it higher winds and the chance of rain in some areas.”
Motorists are being advised to drive carefully on Wednesday morning as mist and fog will reduce visibility on the roads.
Outdoor retail park Global Village, which closed on Monday, reopened as conditions eased off by late afternoon on Tuesday.
In the Muwaileh area of Sharjah, entrances to schools became muddied as water pooled and was left standing for hours due to a lack of drainage.
Parents urged authorities to act on the issue after a long winter of adverse weather.
The wet conditions caused at least two accidents on Tuesday morning on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, resulting in severe delays.
One of the accidents happened near Arabian Ranches, Sharjah-bound, with congestion in the other direction too due to rubbernecking.
The other accident was reported near the Al Khail/ Al Fay Road interchange towards Abu Dhabi.
Delays were also caused by an accident at Umm Suqeim Street, after Miracle Gardens towards the Al Khail Road flyover.
There were reports of tailbacks caused by accidents on the Dubai-Al Ain Road after Nad Al Sheba towards Ras Al Khor as well as on Emirates Road at the Maliha Road exit, with traffic backed up until Al Dhaid Road in Sharjah.
Heavy traffic was reported on Sheikh Zayed Road from Internet City to Al Barsha 1, in the direction of World Trade Centre. And an accident just after Garhoud Bridge towards Abu Dhabi added further congestion to rush-hour traffic.
Multiple vehicles were involved in an accident after Mirdif City Centre bridge towards Sharjah, while another accident took place before the last flyover towards Abu Dhabi.
In the capital, an accident on the Abu Dhabi-Al Ain Truck Road caused delays, which remained even after being cleared by police.
Col Aref Al Shamsi, acting director of the Command and Control Centre at the General Directorate of Operations at Dubai Police, said that motorists must be careful on the road and drive calmly in bad weather.
He warned people against going into the sea or desert and said that people should make sure they allow more time for journeys.
Meanwhile, Lt Col Ahmed Burqibah, deputy director of the Search and Rescue Department at Dubai Police, urged beachgoers to stay out of the water and follow Dubai Municipality and Dubai Police’s warnings in case of high waves.
On Wednesday the weather will be generally stable and the amount of cloud will decrease, said a statement from the NCMS.
“The NCMS notes that the coming weather from Thursday to next Monday will be affected by instability... where the clouds will increase from time to time, with a chance of scattered showers,” said the statement.
The wind will at times become strong with towering cloud activity causing dust and sand to be blown up over exposed areas.
nhanif@thenational.ae
