Minister orders action to tackle floods fallout; traffic now normal
ABU DHABI: Hessa Bint Essa Buhumaid, Minister of Community Development (MOCD), chaired the first meeting of the National Opportunities for Volunteering During Crises Task Force, including representatives of the National Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Management Authority, Emirates Foundation, as well as a number of relevant authorities.
During the meeting, Hessa directed the task force to put a plan for the next phase regarding effects of rain and floods in the eastern region in terms of cleaning of the affected areas by the volunteers in cooperation with the competent authorities.
This follows the launch of a campaign (together hand in hand) to clean up the streets and affected areas in Al Fujairah in coordination with the Fujairah government.
Meanwhile, Colonel Dr Ali Al Kai Al Hamoudi, Director of the Eastern Region Police Department, confirmed that the external roads connecting Sharjah with the cities of the Eastern Region have been fully reopened to traffic movement, including Sharjah-kalba Road, Sharjah-khorfakkan Road, in addition to the internal streets in Khorfakkan.
Moreover, the traffic flow has returned to normal in the Shais and Al Nahwa areas.
Also many internal streets have been reopened in Kalba city, while the specialised teams are continuing their efforts to open the remaining streets to traffic as soon as possible in the city, Al Hamoudi added.
Al Hamoudi indicated that the specialised teams removed all the obstacles let by the rain recently in the area during the past week, praising the efforts of the strategic partners of Sharjah Police, who worked tirelessly around the clock.
He further praised the cooperation of community members, who stood side by side with the work teams to overcome this crisis and recover from it.
Separately, the Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority (SRTA) has announced that as of Saturday (July 30, 2022), the passenger transportation service to the Eastern Region via intercity buses to the City Center point in the Emirate of Fujairah has been resumed. However, the service to the cities of Kalba and Khorfakkan will continue suspended until further notice.
The SRTA had temporarily suspended the passenger transport service to the eastern regions via routes 116 Sharjah-fujairah-khorfakkan, and 611 Sharjah-fujairah-kalba.
The Authority also explained that the roads leading to these areas were also closed, due to weather fluctuations and due the accumulation of rainwater, so the trips for the aforementioned routes would end in the city of Al Dhaid. The meeting between Hessa and other authorities announced that more than 500 volunteers registered through the National Volunteering Plaform (volunteers.ae), to participate in the campaign, which will continue until the goals are achieved in cooperation with the National Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Authority, UAE Red Crescent, Ministry of Interior, Emirates Foundation, Fujairah Municipality and Fujairah Department of Public Works.
The volunteers will support national efforts there to reflect the UAE government’s vision and wise leadership with a future vision that keeps pace with future trends in the UAE.
The meeting stressed the importance of taking advantage of experiences, challenges and lessons, ensuring that they are always ready to overcome various future challenges.
As part of the efforts of the Ministry of Community Development in collaboration with various federal and local government authorities, private sector and civil society, affected families by rain and floods in the eastern regions will be provided temporary shelters in a number of hotels and hotel apartments in neighbouring areas in the United Arab Emirates, thus the Ministry and a number of volunteers continue to do exceptional services to support these families with the needed transportation and services.
In collaboration with Emirates Foundation, (145) registered and trained volunteers will organise the transportation and services for affected families.
Volunteers play an important role from the morning till the evening, through the ministry’s call centre to reach out to affected families, targeting (3,983) senior citizens and people of determination by calling them, asking about their needs and requirements, ensuring their safety, and securing all their needs, including shelter.
Since Friday, volunteers have completed 1,300 calls with senior citizens, people of determination, family members affected by floods in the eastern regions accommodating their urgent needs in coordination with competent authorities as well transporting affected people using 4x4 vehicles and buses provided by various authorities to secured areas.
The volunteers also checked on the affected families ater being transferred to hotel apartments in Al Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, Ajman and Dubai, particularly families from senior citizens, children and those who do not have a financial supporter and need assistance during their shelter.
ABU DHABI: The Royal Oman Police evacuated Emiratis from flood-affected areas in Wilayat of Madha.
The Royal Oman Police said, “Aviation team carried out an evacuation operation for 134 people, including 102 citizens and 32 Gulf nationals, who were besieged in the valleys of Wilayat of Madha and the Lima District.”
They were transferred to Madha Airport. All are in good health. Police aviation also continues to carry out sorties in various rain-affected locations in Musandam Governorate.
The UAE Embassy in Muscat expressed its sincere thanks and appreciation to the Royal Oman Police for carrying out rescue and evacuation operations of UAE citizens who were trapped in the valley.
The embassy also wishes safety for all, and it reminds citizens to take caution and follow the safety instructions issued by the official authorities in Oman.
The weather body in Oman said that the Wilayat of Madha in Musandam Governorate received 320 mm of rainfall, the highest amount in the country during the last four days.
An earlier report said the joint operations command announced implementation of the “Loyal Hands” operation in support of the civil authorities in the Emirate of Fujairah, which witnessed weather fluctuations that led to floods in various areas in the emirate on Wednesday evening. This was revealed by the Ministry of Defence on its account on Twiter.
The ministry explained that the operation contributed to rescuing the stranded people in the flooded areas and rescuing those who were trapped inside their homes, as they were transferred to safe areas.
A video shared by the Ministry Of Interior showed the Civil Defence team rescuing a family in Al-faseel area of Fujairah. No injuries were reported, the ministry confirmed. The UAE Air Wing transferred medical cadres from Fujairah to Kalba Hospital.
The Sharjah Police confirmed the readiness of the security and rescue teams around the clock to deal with the exceptional weather situation, calling upon all members of society to abide by the security instructions so that they are safe.