Authorities in Abu Dhabi and Dubai have urged the public to be vigilant with heavy rain, high wind and thunderstorms set to sweep across the Emirates over the next two days.
The warning comes after heavy rain, strong wind and hail hit Ras Al Khaimah late on Wednesday.
Dubai Police stressed the need to “prioritise your safety” during the expected adverse weather, calling on people to avoid beaches, valleys, sailing activities and flood-prone areas.
Dubai Media Office said the emirate was expected to experience “unstable weather” until Friday, with spells of rain and powerful wind reaching speeds of up to 65kph.
It advised people to stay away from mountainous areas and the sea and to take care when driving, reducing speeds when necessary to adapt to the prevailing weather.
The government-run media office shared a list of emergency contact numbers – including police, ambulance and municipality services – for those who are affected by the forecasted hazardous weather.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, on Wednesday shared an Instagram post featuring a rain cloud emoji, in which he asked the public to “be ready”.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation stressed the need for private sector companies to be prepared for the prevailing weather, with worker safety in mind.
The ministry highlighted the importance of protecting employees, particularly those working outdoors, and ensuring all health and safety measures are met.
Abu Dhabi Police said motorists should “adhere to safe driving and safety measures on internal and external roads during the expected rains and weather fluctuations” in a message on social media.
The force emphasised that road users should check the weather forecast before setting off on journeys, reduce speed and leave a safe distance from other vehicles if travel was necessary.
Police warned against taking pictures of the stormy weather while driving and reminded motorists to abide by speed limits.
Abu Dhabi typically enforces variable speed limits during bouts of bad weather – such as heavy rain, dust storms and fog – with revised caps displayed on electronic signs on roads.
The National Centre of Meteorology said the “main rainfall wave” was expected on Thursday and Friday.
The bureau forecasts “different intensities of rainfall accompanied with lightning, thunder and hail over limited areas” on Thursday.
The NCM’s online weather map projects heavy rainfall in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and the Northern Emirates on both Thursday and Friday, with conditions expected to ease on Saturday.
The online Windy weather forecasting service shows a chance of rain and thunder in Abu Dhabi from early afternoon, with more sustained downpours and storms from 10pm onwards, into Friday morning.
Bouts of rain and thunder are also expected in Dubai from Thursday afternoon, continuing until Friday morning.
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Live: BeIN Sports HD
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Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
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Starting at 2pm:
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Not before 4pm:
Dan Evans (GBR) v Fabio Fogini (ITA) [4]
Not before 7pm:
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Court One
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Prajnesh Gunneswaran (IND) v Dennis Novak (AUT)
Joao Sousa (POR) v Filip Krajinovic (SRB)
Not before 5pm:
Rajeev Ram (USA) and Joe Salisbury (GBR) [1] v Marin Cilic v Novak Djokovic (SRB)
Nikoloz Basilashvili v Ricardas Berankis (LTU)
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Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
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When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
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The government has taken an increasingly tough line against companies that fail to pay employees on time. Three years ago, the Cabinet passed a decree allowing the government to halt the granting of work permits to companies with wage backlogs.
The new measures passed by the Cabinet in 2016 were an update to the Wage Protection System, which is in place to track whether a company pays its employees on time or not.
If wages are 10 days late, the new measures kick in and the company is alerted it is in breach of labour rules. If wages remain unpaid for a total of 16 days, the authorities can cancel work permits, effectively shutting off operations. Fines of up to Dh5,000 per unpaid employee follow after 60 days.
Despite those measures, late payments remain an issue, particularly in the construction sector. Smaller contractors, such as electrical, plumbing and fit-out businesses, often blame the bigger companies that hire them for wages being late.
The authorities have urged employees to report their companies at the labour ministry or Tawafuq service centres — there are 15 in Abu Dhabi.
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Rating: 4/5
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Age: 59
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Favourite place in the UAE: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque / desert / Louvre Abu Dhabi
Favourite book: Father of our Nation: Collected Quotes of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
Thing you will miss most about the UAE: My friends and family, Formula 1, having Friday’s off, desert adventures, and Arabic culture and people
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
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Man of the match Bernado Silva (Manchester City)
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Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.
Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.
Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.
If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.
Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.
Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”
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Cost: 1.05 billion pounds (Dh 4.8 billion)
Number in service: 6
Complement 191 (space for up to 285)
Top speed: over 32 knots
Range: Over 7,000 nautical miles
Length 152.4 m
Displacement: 8,700 tonnes
Beam: 21.2 m
Draught: 7.4 m
Brighton 1
Gross (50′ pen)
Tottenham 1
Kane (48)
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