Dubai Floods, Police Urges UAE Residents to Stay at Home unless Urgen

"The unstable weather conditions are expected to: Illustration of a motorcyclist crashing into a flood. (Aldward Castillo-Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Police in Dubai issued a warning to its citizens to stay indoors unless urgent due to heavy rain expected to continue in almost all of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Friday, December 19.

The warning was issued after heavy rain for several hours flooded Dubai on Thursday, December 18.

"For your safety, avoid leaving your home unless it is absolutely necessary until Friday afternoon," a police warning sent to residents' mobile phones read, quoted by AN, Friday, December 19.

According to the National Center for Meteorology (NCM) forecast, rain will fall across the country from December 18-19, including in Dubai and the capital Abu Dhabi.

Other Gulf countries are also at high risk of heavy rain, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Previously, heavy rain caused the Arab Cup third place match between the Green Falcons and the UAE to be canceled.

Last year in April, heavy rains hit the UAE, flooding homes and turning streets into rivers.

"The unstable weather conditions are expected to: This heavy rain is the worst in the UAE in the last 76 years, killing at least four people, including three Filipino workers and one UAE citizen.