Emergency teams have helped to save hundreds of people in various flood-affected areas in Fujairah and Sharjah since Tuesday night, when rescue operations first began.
Police, armed forces, military, marine and land rescue departments as well as civil defence and ambulance services from across the UAE have been working round the clock to help those left stranded after the heaviest rainfall to hit the country in 30 years.
Officials said on Thursday that about 870 people had been rescued from flooded areas and at least 3,897 others whose homes were badly affected had been placed in temporary accommodation.
The roads we thought we knew well enough were no longer there
Lt Col Ali Al Naqbi,
Dubai Police
Rescue team members, including divers from Dubai Police, arrived at an assembly centre in the Northern Emirates at about midnight on Tuesday.
Following a unified rescue plan, they were divided into smaller teams that each headed to different locations, responding to calls from people in distress.
“We headed out late at night on Tuesday when all relevant departments in the force were informed of the rescue operations,” said Lt Col Ali Al Naqbi, director of the sea rescue department at Dubai Police.
Equipped with ropes, rubber boats, SUVs and pickup trucks, the experienced teams began their search and rescue missions under the night sky.
“It was dark and the roads we thought we knew well enough were no longer there and we didn’t know what was beneath the water that covered them,” the director said.
Despite the obvious risks, they made sure to secure exit routes before bringing people to safety.
“One of our men became submerged because of a hole in a flooded street on one mission,” Lt Col Al Naqbi, added.
“We had to ensure the path we make didn’t have holes, snakes or any other hazards.”
Selfless gestures
Rescuers were faced with several challenges as they waded through water carrying ropes and life-jackets, at times having to make human chains to secure safe passage for those in distress.
“All rescue team members from each emirate were working tirelessly and were only focused on the safety of people, even if it meant they didn’t get to rest,” Lt Col Ali Naqbi said.
Some worked for 24 hours straight, quickly eating dates, bananas and drinking water as they battled fatigue.
“[There are] countless stories of selfless gestures could have been recorded about rescuers during these operations but that was not their focus,” he said.
“They were all focused on one thing: bringing people to safety.”
He said the gratitude of people they helped, including the elderly, children, workers and motorists, was rewarding in itself.
“One old woman kissed the members of the rescue team on their foreheads, addressing them as her sons — that was priceless,” he said.
Strong military presence
Military personnel monitored the flooded streets on Friday in heavy-duty vehicles, looking for people who needed assistance as part of Operation Loyal Hands.
They transported families from their flood-hit homes to shelters and rescued motorists from their broken-down cars.
Driving through the streets, they checked on motorists they suspected might have stopped because of floods, only leaving after making sure each occupied car was still running and that the driver was able to exit the flooded road.
“This is our duty and we are here to help people,” said a military officer, who declined to be named.
Rescuers drove one family from their flooded home in Al Faseel in Fujairah to a relative's house that was located in a safe area of the emirate.
“We have been present since the floods started,” the officer said.
“And we will not leave until we make sure everyone has received the help they needed.”
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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Game Changer
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Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
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Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
if you go
The flights
Direct flights from the UAE to the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, are available with Air Arabia, (www.airarabia.com) Fly Dubai (www.flydubai.com) or Etihad (www.etihad.com) from Dh1,200 return including taxes. The trek described here started from Jomson, but there are many other start and end point variations depending on how you tailor your trek. To get to Jomson from Kathmandu you must first fly to the lake-side resort town of Pokhara with either Buddha Air (www.buddhaair.com) or Yeti Airlines (www.yetiairlines.com). Both charge around US$240 (Dh880) return. From Pokhara there are early morning flights to Jomson with Yeti Airlines or Simrik Airlines (www.simrikairlines.com) for around US$220 (Dh800) return.
The trek
Restricted area permits (US$500 per person) are required for trekking in the Upper Mustang area. The challenging Meso Kanto pass between Tilcho Lake and Jomson should not be attempted by those without a lot of mountain experience and a good support team. An excellent trekking company with good knowledge of Upper Mustang, the Annaurpuna Circuit and Tilcho Lake area and who can help organise a version of the trek described here is the Nepal-UK run Snow Cat Travel (www.snowcattravel.com). Prices vary widely depending on accommodation types and the level of assistance required.
F1 drivers' standings
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 281
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 247
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 222
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull 177
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 138
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 93
7. Sergio Perez, Force India 86
8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 56
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
Brief scores:
Kashima Antlers 0
River Plate 4
Zuculini 24', Martinez 73', 90 2', Borre 89' (pen)
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Match info
Australia 580
Pakistan 240 and 335
Result: Australia win by an innings and five runs
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RACECARD
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
