Rainy season not time to be adventurous: UAE explorers warn residents

Rainy season not time to be adventurous: UAE explorers warn residents

Experts advise motorists to check the weather forecast and pay heed to advisories and warnings issued by authorities

Published: Sat 7 Jan 2023, 6:00 AM

As rains lash different parts of the country and authorities advise residents to stay away from flooded areas, seasoned explorers and rescuers in the country are issuing stark warnings.

“Rainy season is not the time to be adventurous,” warned Hatta resident Fahad Mayyil. “We see a lot of people who try to go into wadis during the rains and get caught in perilous situations. It is a disaster waiting to happen.”

On Friday heavy rains led to flooding in several wadis and the National Center of Meteorology (NCM) posted videos of water gushing down like waterfalls from mountains, especially in the country's northern parts.

Fahad recalled the time when he himself got stuck in a flash flood in Ras Al Khaimah’s Howailat area. “It happened while I was still a newbie explorer,” he said. “I was out on a rain drive at night. It is a road that has a steep dip and then rises again. As soon as I navigated the dip, the waters came rushing from all sides and before I knew it, the floods rose and there