Emirati swept away with vehicle in RAK floods; 99 people rescued

The Central Operations Room of Ras Al Khaimah Police received 164 communiques for assistance over the two rainy days recently in the emirate.

Brigadier Mohammad Al Noubi, Deputy General Commander of Ras Al Khaimah Police, said his department made great efforts to respond quickly following the urgent calls for help; RAK Police recovered 43 vehicles and saved 99 people - including 8 students - trapped in rain floods across the emirate.

The students were rescued by the Air Wing Department at Ras Al Khaimah Police when they were trapped in rain floods while travelling in a bus.

He said police received another urgent call for help from a young Emirati whose vehicle was swept away by the floods in a valley. Ambulances and rescue teams were rushed to the rain-flooded valley where the teams managed to recover the vehicle from the waters but couldn’t find the body.

Diving teams continued their search operation late in the evening but the missing man was not found. The teams resumed their search operation next day with the help of Abu Dhabi Police and managed to find the body of the young Emirati near one of the farms in the area. The body was later transferred to a hospital.

A total of 130 members from the UAE Search and Rescue Team took part as of Monday morning,  in a search operation to trace the young Emirati national (Hassan Rashid Al-Shemaili). The young man was reported missing on Sunday evening, after he presumably drowned in the waters of Hakil Valley in Ras al Khaimah. The team members offered their profound condolences to the bereaved family in the graveyard located in Alshamel, Al Khaimah.

Deputy General Commander of Ras Al Khaimah Police said traffic police patrolled 19 roads across the emirate in order to facilitate traffic during the rain. It recorded 6 traffic accidents which resulted in 10 people getting injured.

He thanked search and rescue teams of Abu Dhabi Police for their help in searching for the body of the young Emirati.

He asked drivers to pay attention while driving and adhere to the instructions and guidelines during rains, particularly with regard to reducing speed and leaving enough safety distance between vehicles.

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