UAE weather alert: Dust storm warning issued; authority urges residents to take safety measures

The UAE has been seeing heavy rains and winds all day on Saturday. Authorities have issued multiple warnings for both rain and dust.

The municipality of the Al Dhafrah region in Abu Dhabi urged residents to be careful when venturing out, since strong winds with rain and blowing dust could prove to be harmful.

The authority has asked residents to call hotline 993 or contact authorities via WhatsApp on the number 026788888 in the case of accumulation of sand, falling trees, or any other emergency.

It also said that all construction equipment such as tower cranes, mobile cranes, suspended platforms, and other heavy machinery should stop running, and that structures such as tower cranes and scaffolding must be secured according to approved specifications. All activities such as demolition should be stopped and workers are to be informed to exercise caution.

Temporary fences and barricades are also to be installed around work sites, as they are cleaned of volatile materials.

The National Centre of Meteorology in the UAE also issued a dust warning, urging residents to exercise caution and take the following measures:

1. Drive safely while following safety rules

2. Lock all doors and windows to prevent dust from entering buildings

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