From sun shield to rain cover: UAE residents share stories of rare umbrella moments

Uzbekistani national Shamil Rizzat does not remember using an umbrella in the rain. However, he does use it during the summer months to protect himself from the harsh sun while walking through the busy streets of Deira.

“For nearly two months, my umbrella was lying in a drawer at my workplace,” said Shamil, who owns an electronic store in Gargash Market in Deira.

He did not anticipate rain anytime soon. After his Fajr prayers, Shamil opened his shop to get the umbrella to go home, shielding himself from the rain with the umbrella.

“My apartment is in between my workplace and Al Ghurair Mosque in Deira. So, I rushed to my shop after prayers and kept it handy. This umbrella was never used during rain,” said Shamil.

All seven emirates across the UAE experienced rain on Friday morning. Residents woke to thunderstorms and lightning expressing a sense of joy.

Many Filipino expats in the UAE keep themselves equipped with umbrellas either to shade from or “out of habit".

"It’s a norm for us,” said Angelina, a saleswoman at a supermarket in Sharjah.

“However, I did not use an umbrella since the end of October. It was lying in my handbag. But yesterday, I got a chance to use it again, and this time it was for the rain,” said Angelina, who resides in Al Nahda, Sharjah.

Zeeshan Hamid, an engineer and an expat who resides in Al Qusais had brought 5 umbrellas as he is going to his hometown, Mangalore in India, for annual leave. “We come from a place where umbrellas are stocked in every household. It rains continuously for 3 months and then we expect rain during winter. But here in the UAE, it is scarce. So I got a few umbrellas to take to my family members back home,” said Hamid.

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