The UAE’s National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) has issued orange and yellow weather alerts as six of the seven emirates experienced moderate to heavy rainfall accompanied by lightning and thunder, AlarabIya News reported Monday.
Thunder, flashes of lightning, and heavy downpours were reported across parts of the country on Monday, a day after showers and scattered rainfall were experienced across the UAE on Sunday.
Authorities in Dubai sent a weather alert early in the morning to warn of “weather fluctuations” across the emirate. Residents have been urged to stay away from beaches and “avoid valleys” and to exercise caution, reduce speed while driving.
The Ministry of Interior also said that the country is witnessing rain and winds of varying intensity, accompanied by thunder, lightning and hail. The unstable conditions have reduced horizontal visibility on the roads.
The UAE’s weather department has shared a series of videos of the adverse weather on its social media channels, showing flashes of thunder and lightning and flurries of hail in the Northern Emirates.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has asked employers to ensure the safety of employees by giving them flexible working options.
“The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation calls on private sector companies across the UAE to apply flexible working patterns tomorrow, Monday, February 12, given the expected weather,” the authority said.
“Companies also need to ensure the health and safety of workers commuting to and from outdoor work locations,” it added.
The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), the school regulator of the country, has also urged educators to provide remote learning amid the extreme weather conditions.
“With unpredictable weather predicted, we ask all Dubai private schools, nurseries, and universities to be flexible when considering the needs of parents, staff, and students and provide the option of distance learning on Monday, Feb 12. Stay safe everyone,” the KHDA said in a media post. (NewsWire)