UAE Gearing Up For Future Record Rains and How!
The powers-that-be are planning to build infrastructure toward fending off future deluges from torrential downpours.
Once bitten, twice shy. Yes, that’s the mentality of the government and municipal authorities across the United Arab Emirates after recent record rainfall left most of the country’s urban locales badly submerged. Days after the disruptive waters receded, UAE’s Minister of Energy and Infrastructure – Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei – stepped out to take stock of the situation and how best to prevent future flooding.
While repairing of the affected highways and city streets were already in full swing, this top official and his team took a comprehensive tour which included lakes and dams. This, in an attempt to gauge how best their capacity can be extended and how they can be connected to a rain-water drainage network. Yes, an expansive subterranean storm-water system is top on the agenda, so that no more logging and stagnating cripples Dubai and the other emirates.
Lest one forget, the recent torrential downpours over a few days registered as much rain that the UAE receives in two years, turning 15-minute commutes to 12-hour predicaments. Even flights were grounded with water levels dramatically increasing on runways and their vast adjacent fields. Caution and planning would be required to ensure that existing sewers don’t collide with the planned drains, as has been a problem in many tropical countries.
Safety of residents and protection of property as well as unhindered travel and transport is of top priority for the concerned Ministry. On a promising note, the 103 dams across the UAE retained a mere 50% of their capacity during the rains. So, these alone may be enough to hold heavy rainwater, provided that storm-water tributaries are well directed toward them. However, all these efforts will amount to only a stop-gap solution. The bigger problem of climate change is one that this top oil-producing nation will have to seriously begin tackling as well.
