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Adverse Weather | UAE | April 2024

Writer's picture: SABRE RiskSABRE Risk

SABRE Risk firstly wishes to extend our thoughts to all those people, both residents and non-residents affected by this past week's adverse weather in the United Arab Emirates, despite the adverse weather subsiding, residents, and tourists are still affected, as our local businesses, infrastructure and resources, who have worked, and continue to work around the clock to support the recovery effort.


We have been exceptionally busy over the past week, supporting our clients with various solutions, at times, under enormous times of stress, uncertainty, and intolerable conditions.

The leadership at SABRE Risk want to thank the numerous teams deployed on projects over the past week, and continue to be deployed, for their courageousness, agility, and professionalism, who continued to perform their duties with unquestionable professionalism, and commitment, in some of the most treacherous conditions the UAE has ever seen.


Thank you,


SABRE Risk



Summary


Chaos ensued in the United Arab Emirates after the country witnessed the heaviest rainfall in 75 years, with some areas recording more than 250 mm (around 10 inches) of precipitation in fewer than 24 hours, the state’s media office said in a statement Wednesday, the 17th of April 2024.


The rainfall, which flooded streets, uprooted palm trees and shattered building facades, has never been seen in the Middle Eastern nation since records began in 1949. In the popular tourist destination Dubai, flights were cancelled, traffic came to a halt and schools closed.


One-hundred millimetres (nearly 4 inches) of rain fell over the course of just 12 hours on Tuesday, according to weather observations at the airport – around what Dubai usually records in an entire year, according to United Nations data.


The rain fell so heavily and so quickly that some motorists were forced to abandon their vehicles as the floodwater rose and roads turned into rivers.


Extreme rainfall events like this are becoming more common as the atmosphere warms due to human-driven climate change. The weather conditions were associated with a larger storm system traversing the Arabian Peninsula and moving across the Gulf of Oman.



Impact


Dubai International Airport recently crowned the second-busiest airport in the world, was underwater as massive aircraft attempt to navigate floodwaters.


Disruption to airport operations continued into Wednesday, after the storm had cleared, with access roads blocked by flooding and multiple airlines including flag carrier Emirates reporting flight delays. Budget airline Flydubai cancelled all flights until 1000hrs the following day.


On Wednesday morning, Dubai International advised people to ''NOT to come to the airport, unless necessary''. Emirates suspended check-in for passengers departing Dubai from 0800hrs on Wednesday until midnight on Thursday.


Images published in local media showed traffic gridlocked on Dubai’s Sheikh Zayed Road, a 16-lane highway. Vehicles were seen almost entirely submerged on almost all roads across Dubai.


Delivery services stopped functioning and many Dubai residents were unable to leave their homes due to waterlogged streets, which cars and pedestrians couldn’t access.



Case Study and Services


With multiple projects already ongoing, and many due to start on the 16th of April 2024, our SOC was monitoring regional news channels, social media, weather channels, and local airports for information.


At 1800hrs on the 15th of April 2024, our SOC alerted our team, and our clients to an imminent storm due to hit the UAE in the early hours of the 16th of April 2024. Based on the information known, we informed our clients of the potential severity, impact and mitigation options.


That evening we made plans to rotate any vehicles from tasks which we felt unsuitable, many were replaced with larger SUV's, this was done in collaboration with the client of course.


Principals and clients have commitments, simply stating remain in situ is not a solution to a problem, we advised on the safest and most secure options available, after assessing the risks. Commutes which would usually take 60 minutes, took double this, with clients having to divert private flights from Dubai to other emirates.


Drivers needed to use their knowledge, and experience to deviate from well-known routes, and bypass debris, and roadblocks, roads made even more challenging due to the abundance of abandoned vehicles.


Information Sharing


Sharing information with clients, our resources, and security teams, including road closures, weather updates, route advice, fuel station and welfare options, hotel and flight information.


Route Planning


Peer reviewing route selections in advance with the team, to ensure routes were accessible and safe, this included journeys into, and out of multiple emirates, in treacherous weather conditions, deemed intolerable by normal, inexperienced, un-trained drivers.


Evacuations


Supporting clients getting to, and from major airports within the UAE, and advising them of the safest and most secure options, this also included those in transit, which were first time arrivals in the UAE, not expecting to be in the country.


Hotel Recommendations and Flight Sourcing


Supporting clients with hotel availability, and flight options, to and from the UAE.


With our expertise and experience within the UAE, and the proven ability to deliver under times of stress and crisis, we can guide and support our clients and resources in times of stress, when they need it the most.


Our leadership team have the experience, knowledge and capability to advise on mitigation solutions which are both proportionate, and effective.


To find out how SABRE Risk can support you, and your organization within the Middle East, Africa and further afield, contact us today.



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