Here's how the morning went for expats and drivers on the streets and highways of Dubai and Sharjah
Photos by Shihab / Neeraj Murali / Meher Dhanjal
It's business as usual for many UAE motorists and residents on Friday despite the downpour that lashed the country overnight till morning.
The government on Thursday advised private companies to implement flexible work patterns and ensure employees' safety as unstable weather conditions were expected to continue.
Those who did have to drive out encountered traffic snarls, while pedestrians — with and without umbrellas — walked and crossed rain-drenched streets. In the middle of it all, workers and cleaners pulled on their boots and heeded the call of duty.
Here's how the morning went for residents in Dubai and Sharjah:
This cleaner in Al Quoz, Dubai, rain-suited up as he went about his job despite the heavy downpour:
Photo by Sahim Salim
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These Sharjah residents rolled up their pants and waded across flooded roads — with or without umbrellas.
Need a cab? This Dubai taxi didn't mind the rainwater on the streets to serve residents at Discovery Gardens.
The Dubai Municipality wasted no time in draining out pools of water on the emirate's roads. Here's a worker operating a mobile machine:
Photo: X
In Healthcare City, a tandem of cleaners worked on unclogging the drainage:
Photo by Meher Dhanjal
On days like this, motorists should brace for the unexpected: A car broke down at a roundabout in Dubai's Jebel Ali but had been promptly towed away.
Even as skies cleared up at around 10am, some motorists have to face traffic jams on roads. Here's the situation in Al Quoz:
Photo by Rahul Gajjar
A GPS map of Dubai shows traffic jams, marked in red, on a number of roads:
From a sedan to an SUV, cars were seen splashing through a flooded road at Dubai Investments Parks.
On some roads in Sharjah, traffic came to a standstill.
Local government entities and crisis management teams are fully prepared for these conditions, with special teams assigned to address any incident during bad weather. Roads are expected to be cleared soon as authorities vow to restore smooth traffic flow and keep residents safe.
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The creative spirit has always been part of Shihab’s DNA. When he captures a moment through his lens, it is eternalised for the viewer through the photographer. With several prestigious awards to his credit, Shihab’s works have also been part of many photo exhibitions in the city. Vocal through his creations, Shihab is currently bringing out the best of digital photography and also edits video packages for Khaleej Times.
Neeraj Murali graduated from the University of Madras with a degree in Visual Communication. He began his career in 2013 as a photojournalist with The New Indian Express in India. He moved to Khaleej Times in 2015 as a photographer, and in 2018 he became part of the multimedia team responsible for scripting, filming and editing videos. He is a car enthusiast and loves to travel and explore.
Rahul Gajjar is a Senior Multimedia Producer with 20 years of experience in videography, photojournalism and video editing. He has filmed, edited and distributed multimedia content for agencies and broadcasters around the world. A published photographer and storyteller, Rahul's reportage and stories have been distributed through agencies like Getty Images and AFP and featured in various international media houses. As the chief videographer at Khaleej Times, Rahul has created several viral videos with million-plus views. He began his career by producing numerous political and human interest stories from the Indian state of Gujarat, his native.