Housing solutions, food distribution: 5 ways Dubai dealt with record rains

As Dubai became inundated with record-breaking rains, the city’s various authorities worked round the clock to ensure infrastructure was affected as little as possible and life resumed to business as usual quickly.

“It may take a few days for the city to return back to normal but recovery efforts have been good,” one citizen told Business Recorder.

Dubai rains provide ‘opportunity to enhance emergency response systems’: Crown Prince

Here are 5 key things the city has done:

1. Roping in property developers to help

The Crown Prince of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, directed the Dubai Land Department and the Real Estate Regulatory Agency to coordinate with property developers to expedite the restoration of normalcy.

He said all residential management companies and real estate developers were to offer the following services at no additional charges: alternative housing for residents affected by the weather; distribution of food within affected communities; pest control services; enhanced security; assistance with returning to residential properties, including interior cleaning services; monitoring and documenting damages caused by the rains during the insurance coverage period; and assistance in assessing potential risks to properties.

Meanwhile, Emaar Properties said it will repair all properties in its communities in Dubai which were damaged free of cost. A similar announcement was also made by DAMAC Properties.

2. Paying salaries early

Sheikh Hamdan also directed the early disbursement of April salaries for Dubai government employees, military personnel, military retirees, and recipients of government social benefits on 23 April.

“This decision reflects the Crown Prince’s commitment to supporting employees and their families, amidst the extreme weather conditions faced by the country,” read a statement by the prince’s media office.

“The early disbursement is aimed at helping employees manage their family needs and ensuring their wellbeing during the current period,” the statement added.

3. Citizen complaints committee

The Crown Prince also directed the establishment of a committee to urgently review all requests from citizens affected by the rains. The committee’s job is to determine the most appropriate measures to address these requests, prioritising the repair and rehabilitation of the homes of affected citizens.

4. Humanitarian support

Sheikh Hamdan tasked Dubai’s Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department with monitoring and providing humanitarian support to people in need. He also instructed the Community Development Authority to activate the ‘Jood’ e-platform to receive contributions from the private sector to provide humanitarian assistance to people affected by the extreme weather.

5. Roads and Transport Authority, Dubai Municipality take swift measures

The Roads and Transport deployed its emergency and crisis management team, which operated out of a unified command centre. A joint control room was also activated to address rainwater accumulation, operated by representatives of Dubai Police, Dubai Municipality, and real estate developers.

Over 2,500 response personnel, including engineers, technicians, workers, contractors, and suppliers, contributed to the response effort. Additionally, more than 400 pumps, 300 tanks, and over 200 heavy equipment units, including trucks and bulldozers, were deployed.

Dubai Municipality mobilised over 2,425 engineers, technicians, and workers.

Dubai Electricity & Water Authority also worked to ensure uninterrupted electricity and water services.

Last week, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) faced severe weather conditions, prompting authorities to issue a stay-at-home advisory to its residents.

Torrential rains and high winds lashed parts of the Gulf, flights were cancelled in Dubai, the region’s financial hub, while schools were shut in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

The National Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) also advised residents to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary. Motorists were urged to park their vehicles in safe, elevated locations away from flood-prone areas.

On the other hand, Dubai’s skies, usually electric blue and cloudless, darkened to night-like conditions in mid-afternoon as a second storm front blew in.

Meanwhile, schools transitioned to online learning, and the weather bureau also warned of further instability with two waves of intense weather expected.