Days after floods hit the United Arab Emirates in April, heavy rains have returned to the country and many flights in and out of Dubai have been canceled and delayed, while people and students are stranded, Khaleej Times reports. Have been asked to work and study from home.
Orange alert was issued on Thursday due to heavy rain and storm in UAE. Over the past few days, the UAE has been preparing for this wave of unstable weather, which is expected to peak from May 2 to May 3.
People in all areas have been advised to adopt safety measures. Schools are on distance learning while companies have been asked to allow people to work from home. Parks and beaches have been closed.
According to Khaleej Times, Dubai announced work from home for government employees on May 2 and May 3 due to unstable weather conditions in the emirate.
On Wednesday, the UAE’s Disaster Management Authority reiterated the country’s preparedness to deal with upcoming weather conditions. It said all concerned agencies are prepared to deal with the anticipated weather fluctuations by implementing measures.
Earlier, an NCM expert had said that the coming weather conditions are not expected to be like the rain that occurred on April 16. Officials have discussed the precautionary measures to be taken during this period.
The UAE announced on Wednesday that all government schools in the country will have online classes for students on May 2 and 3 due to the current weather conditions.
Additionally, the government announced that all private schools in Dubai will have online learning on May 2 and May 3 due to expected unstable weather conditions. The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) announced that the decision is applicable to all private schools, nurseries and universities.
According to a Khaleej Times report on May 2, five arriving flights at Dubai Airport were diverted overnight, while nine arriving and four outgoing flights were cancelled, according to a Dubai Airports spokesperson.
The airport spokesperson further said, “Guests departing from Dubai airports are advised to allot additional time for travel to the airport, as road congestion may be expected. We strongly encourage the use of Dubai Metro to access DXB Terminals 1 and 3 wherever possible.”
Emirates canceled several flights on Thursday due to bad weather across the UAE. Flight operations at Dubai International Airport have been reduced.
In a statement, Emirates said, “Customers arriving or departing from Dubai Airports on May 2 can expect some delays as flights have been rescheduled,” the report said.
Khaleej Times reports that a spokesperson for flydubai said that “there have been some delays in their operations due to adverse weather conditions in Dubai on Thursday.”
“Passengers are advised to allow extra time for journeys to DXB, whether traveling by car or public transport,” the spokesperson said. Passengers are also advised to update their contact details through the Manage Booking tab and check the flydubai website for latest updates regarding their flight.
Sharjah-based Air Arabia advised passengers flying from Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah to plan additional travel time to the airport due to weather conditions. Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways asked passengers using the Etihad Bus service between Zayed International Airport and Dubai to “check in early for their transfer to allow extra time to reach the airport”.
Indian airline IndiGo said its flight operations have been affected due to bad weather in Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah and Abu Dhabi. Vistara and SpiceJet also said that departures, arrivals and flights will be affected due to the bad weather, the report said.
In a post on Twitter on Thursday, IndiGo said, “#6ETravelAdvisory: Due to inclement weather in #Dubai #Sharjah #RasAlKhaimah #AbuDhabi, our flight operations have been impacted. Local transport may be disrupted due to road blockage. Plan accordingly and allow extra time for travel to the airport.
#6eTravel Advisor: due to bad weather #Dubai #Sharjah #Ras Al Khaimah #Abu Dhabi, Our flight operations have been affected. Local transport may be disrupted due to road blockage. Plan accordingly and allow extra time for travel to the airport. Check flight status here
– Indigo (@IndiGo6E) 2 May 2024