Stormy weather hits the UAE with some flights to Dubai cancelled


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Parts of the UAE were inundated by stormy weather on Saturday morning, when torrential rain in some cases forced flight cancellations.

Airline Flydubai told The National that it had cancelled some inbound flights, while diversions and delays were in place for others.

Police in Dubai called on motorists to exercise caution when driving in the wet, while all marine transport was suspended by the city's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

“The adverse weather conditions in Dubai this morning have resulted in few cancellations and delays to some of our flights,” Flydubai said.

“A number of inbound flights also had to be diverted. We are continuing to monitor the weather conditions in Dubai.

“The safety of our passengers and crew is our No 1 priority, and we are doing all we can to minimise the disruption to our passengers’ travel schedules and are co-ordinating with all parties at the airport.”

Motorists were advised to make sure they took no chances on Dubai's roads, with police issuing a statement on social media to that effect.

“Various areas in Dubai are experiencing moderate to heavy rain,” Dubai Police said on X on Saturday.

“It is of utmost importance for drivers and road users to be extremely cautious while on the roads.”

The RTA announced on social media that all marine transport would be suspended until further notice.

Several flights from other airlines bound for Dubai on Saturday morning were diverted to other airports as bad weather in the emirate continued.

The flights were rerouted to destinations including Zayed International Airport, Al Maktoum International Airport, Muscat International Airport in Oman, and Hamad International Airport in Qatar.

Communities across Dubai were also hit by the rain, prompting a flood of coverage on social media channels.

Residents were advised to only leave their homes if necessary given hazardous conditions on the roads.

RTA teams were out across the emirate on Saturday morning to help ease the traffic build-up created by the wet weather conditions.

Elsewhere, most of the country remained under a yellow alert issued by the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), which was expected to last until at least 4pm on Sunday, March 10.

The NCM also issued an alert for those in eastern parts of the country.

“Precautions should be taken in case of heavy rain over some eastern areas and [people are] advised to stay away from areas of flash floods and accumulated rain,” said the NCM on X.

Thunder and lightning was reported in Abu Dhabi on Saturday afternoon, the NCM said.

Where to donate in the UAE

The Emirates Charity Portal

You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments

The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.

Al Noor Special Needs Centre

You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.

Beit Al Khair Society

Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.

Dar Al Ber Society

Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.

Dubai Cares

Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.

Emirates Airline Foundation

Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.

Emirates Red Crescent

On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.

Gulf for Good

Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.

Noor Dubai Foundation

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).

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Updated: March 09, 2024, 11:19 AM