Hail, dust and sand storms: Dubai hit by triple whammy
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A flooded street caused by heavy rain in Dubai on Aug 5.
PHOTO: AFP
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A thick dust storm, heavy summer rain and hail hit parts of Dubai, the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates, on Saturday.
In a video shared by the Al-Ashfa Centre for Observing Weather and Climate Change on its Twitter page, Dubai’s Al Marmum area is seen battered by strong winds and rain, with water flowing on the roadside.
The Dubai municipality reportedly received more than 100 emergency calls on Saturday as members of the public reported fallen trees and pools of rainwater. On Sunday, it announced the temporary closure of public parks as a safety measure due to the weather conditions.
Meanwhile, members of the public took to social media platforms to share videos and images of the storm in their area. Videos of strong winds nearly uprooting trees and fierce storms were seen on the platforms.
The National Centre of Meteorology, in its latest five-day bulletin, forecasts rain falling up till Monday in eastern parts of the Emirates, according to The National newspaper.
Arabian Business magazine reported that the meteorological authority expects strong to moderate winds ranging between 10kmh and 25kmh and occasionally reaching speeds of up to 55kmh.
Despite the wet weather, which is forecast to continue until next week, temperatures are expected to remain above 40 deg C over the next week.
