UAE Rains: Etisalat dismantles 'bottle-top' at Abu Dhabi HQ

UAE telecom company Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat) has begun dismantling of the spherical object on the top of its head quarter building in Abu Dhabi after it was severely damaged by strong winds, which reached speeds of 130 kilometres per hour.

“We are working to dismantle the structure for safety reasons, following the damage during last week’s storm," the company said in a statement sent to Emirates 24|7.

“Spherical structures on other Etisalat buildings across the UAE will not be impacted by this decision,” the statement said.

Last week, the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) did instruct etisalat to dismantle the structure with the telecom company holding talks with construction companies and consultants.

The authority had urged the public to follow traffic instructions on the main roads leading to the Etisalat building since risks were being assessed.

The Etisalat HQ is 160-metre high with 27 floors and two underground floors. The construction was completed in 2001 with the most notable aspect being the spherical structure at the top, which is similar to a golf ball.

In fact, all Etisalat buildings in Sharjah, Ajman, Al Ain and Dubai have the same spherical structure on the top.

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