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Dubai: Almost a week after floods, some residents still without water, electricity

Most of them are getting help from friends who live nearby while others opt to grab a meal at eateries so they could also charge their phones

Last week's record-breaking rains and subsequent floods left several buildings and communities in Dubai grappling with the aftermath. Many residents have been without electricity, water, and utilities for almost a week, seeking alternative solutions as the heavy downpour caused significant disruptions to daily life.

In Dubai's The Greens, some apartment blocks have been affected by flooding. Since Tuesday, April 16, some residents in these buildings have been enduring life without power and tap water.

"It's been almost five days since the authorities started working to clear the water from the basement," said Rupa Sarkar, an Indian resident of The Greens. "In our building, they had to cut off electricity because the entire basement was filled with water," she added.

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With electricity restoration is still underway, the tenants have been getting help from the community. Rupa and her neighbours have relied on friends, who provided food during the initial days. A couple of days later, the building management arranged accommodation in hotels until electricity was restored. "We are checking out the hotel on Monday evening. The building management has arranged generators for temporary solutions, but we are not sure if electricity is back yet."

Another affected resident in Discovery Gardens, Indian expat Veera Akula faced significant difficulties due to the power outage. “On Tuesday, exactly at 3pm, the building lost its power, after water poured into the transformers and damaged some wires. Since that day, it hasn't been restored."

With no backup generator available and water also being shut off, Veera had to relocate to a hotel until Friday when he got notified that the water was back on. “I thought if there’s water I can stay, but I have been facing only darkness at night for three days now,” he added.

He has been alternating between seeking help from friends in neighbouring buildings to charging his phone and grabbing a meal outside and then returning to his dark apartment.

Veera, who is currently alone without his family, expressed concern about their arrival on Wednesday. If the situation remains unresolved, he plans to move his wife, daughter, and four-year-old son to a hotel

In Al Barsha, Ihsan Derwish, an Egyptian mother, is going through similar hardships. The electricity at her residence was cut off on Wednesday, April 17, leaving her and her children in a difficult situation. With her husband stuck in Sharjah until Thursday, Ihsan had to face the challenges alone. “The first day was extremely tough, especially because I had to carry my toddler down six floors," Ihsan said.

Although authorities are working diligently to resolve the situation, Ihsan has had to navigate between ensuring her kids safety and bringing food and fetching water over the past couple of days. “After the first day, the people around the block were really helpful. We didn’t have to climb the stairs again. Everything we needed was brought to our doorsteps,” she added.

The absence of electricity also meant that the internet was unavailable, making it impossible for her children to attend their online classes. Ihsan explained: “There was so much to consider. If it was only me I would have handled it, but it was very difficult on the kids." Once Ihsan’s husband finally returned home on Thursday, she made the decision to leave her building and stay with her sister-in-law.

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