Dubai/Sharjah: Ever since Tuesday’s record rainfall in the UAE, several heroes without capes have been wading through flooded streets to help those stranded in various parts of Dubai and Sharjah.
The incredible spirit of humanity and solidarity among these community volunteers has offered a lifeline for marooned residents requiring food, water and medicines.
While authorities have ensured most areas in the country are back to normal, some areas remain under stagnant floodwater. Complementing the efforts of government agencies are some existing community organisations and newly formed groups of volunteers most of whom were strangers to each other.
The priority on the first day was rescuing people and vehicles from the floodwaters and getting stranded people to safety, but the focus soon turned to people standing inside buildings surrounded by water day and night. I moved on to helping people in need.
Munir Al Wafa, who founded his website with the same name as the Rain Support UAE WhatsApp group, told UAE News on Friday that
Munir Al Wafa, who founded his website with the same name as the Rain Support UAE WhatsApp group, told UAE Breaking News on Friday that
Munir Al Wafa, who founded the Rain Support UAE WhatsApp group We have a backend support group that categorizes the The number of members is approximately 6,000.
The group’s approximately 120 volunteers work day and night to distribute food, water and medicine. Most members of the group contribute in a variety of ways, including providing information to those in need, sharing resources, and providing information on road closures and flight updates.
” Amal Gireesh, an active member of the group, has been attending rallies since Tuesday. The forefront of volunteer activities. An Indian expatriate who helped rescue 20 people to safety in Dubai on Tuesday night has since returned to the streets, delivering food and water to residents of Sharjah.
Off-roader, rescuer
Amal says volunteers use buckets and ropes to help residents on higher floors collect food and water from flooded streets He said he had come up with makeshift arrangements. .
As of Thursday, the group began transporting food using kayaks, he said. “This was made possible with great support from LC Offroaders and the ME4X4 Offroader Club.
Drivers from these groups of different nationalities are willing to drive into deep water, even if it means damaging their vehicles. They were willing to drive and some damage. I don’t know how to thank them for their support. “When we arrived in our kayaks, people had tears in their eyes,” Amal said.
He said the off-roaders’ groups provided professional support for relief operations. “They used walk-ie-talkies for effective coordination. One of their members, Hubb, and his son Lewis, gave volunteers a quick training on how to use the kayaks and navigate them easily while doing proper weight manage-ment to avoid sinking. Their big cars’ lights helped us navigate through the dark streets without electricity. The kayaks have been mainly useful in Al Majaz, Al Qassimia and Abu Shagara areas where it hasn’t been possible to reach by cars.”
Rescue amid relief works
Another volunteer with Amal, Deepu AS, who is also the general-secretary of AKCAF Association, an apex body of college alumni groups from Kerala, said the volunteers have sourced and provided medicines even to cancer patients.
They reported to the authorities some hazardous situations that they came across such as partially submerged AC compressors that were still working. “We even managed to rescue two people by shifting them to hospitals with the help of Sharjah authorities — an Indian man, who suffered a heart attack, and an elderly Arab man who required dialysis.”
Along the way, Amal said he saw several workers helping pregnant women cross the flooded street to reach the main road. Her husband was waiting there with her older child. “I was very impressed when I saw how Bangladeshi workers had built a raft out of thermocol panels. Then we assembled a chair and carried her to the other side.
The team also received support from many residents of different nationalities, he said. “Arabs and others who saw us helping people came forward to donate supplies.
Other Volunteer Groups
The team also called E-Support Volunteers I also met a volunteer from another of her WhatsApp groups called. “This was created by a man named Rafi. Their volunteers are also very active in relief efforts,” Amal said.
They were joined on Friday night by a team from local nonprofit UAE Rescue. “They came in big trucks, which was a big help for us. They helped evacuate the stranded people. We also distributed essential items. Last night, we managed to reach many flooded areas by truck,” Amal said.
Members of the Indian Cultural Foundation (ICF), the volunteer arm of the Dubai Markaz Centre, also worked in flooded areas of Sharjah. “ICF volunteers have helped hundreds of people in flooded areas. They distribute food, water and other necessities, and help transport sick people to hospitals. “We have started using rubber boats,” said PKC Mohamed Saqafi, chairman of ICF Sharjah Central.
Meanwhile, ICF volunteers in Al Ain helped remove mounds of mud from the Jabel Saeed Ali Jabel Masjid in Hili on Thursday night, allowing worshipers to attend Friday prayers. Coordinator Saidharavi Haji Kuttipala said similar services were extended to households in Jimi district on Friday.
Neighbours helping neighbours
Meanwhile, in Dubai, several residents of Mudon community joined hands to support their neighbours who were affected by record rainfall. “We neighbours in clusters that were not affected helped neighbours from the clusters that were badly hit. We created a volunteers’ WhatsApp group which helped in arranging food supplies and boats to evacuate families from flooded houses. People opened their homes to accommodate them. Residents are helping the neighbours with groceries and other essentials and cooking food to be given to affected residents, security guards and people working on pumping off the water from the community,” said Poonam Chawla, a resident of Arabella 3, Mudon.
She specifically appreciated the efforts of a neighbour, Rebeca Hedley, who extended a helping hand with food, water, and medicines to some affected families and a child of determination using a kayak.
Corporate volunteers
Praveen K Prabhakaran, spokesperson of Aster Volunteers, said the volunteers offered support to their coworkers and their families who are facing post-rain challenges. “Our volunteers are working tirelessly to provide essential aid such as food, water, medicine, and teleconsultation services to en-sure their safety and well-being during this difficult time. We stand united in our efforts to assist those in need and will continue to extend our support to the affected individuals and families in Dubai and Sharjah. Additionally, 25 dedicated Aster volunteers are currently involved in the relief efforts, and we have already provided support to over 50 families to date. Our relief efforts remain ongoing as we strive to reach and assist more individuals and families in need across various affected areas, including Fujairah, Ajman, and RAK,” he said in a statement.
Many food businesses also came forward to offer free meals and food supplies to the affected residents. A group of restaurants and cafés in Dubai offered free community support meals on Friday. While some water companies provided free drinking water, a dairy company offered 1500 bottles of long life milk in Sharjah.
A poly clinic group has announced free medical consultations to affected families for three days at its branches in Abu Shagara, Al Ghusais, and Rashidiya.
“This initiative is being undertaken in collaboration with supportive organisations like the Indian Consulate in Dubai, Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre and the Indian Association Sharjah,” a message broadcast by the group said.