Flooded roads force traffic diversion

Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced the diversion of traffic on Sharjah-bound Emirates Road to a number of alternative roads such as Al Ittihad, Beirut, Damascus and Dubai Bypass Roads, due to the large amount of rainwater accumulated on Emirates Road, past National Paint Bridge in Sharjah.

According Ahmed Hashim Bahrozyan, Head of RTA Emergency and Crises Team, RTA co-ordinated with the General HQ of Dubai Police to divert traffic on Emirates Road at the Interchange of Dubai-Al Ain Road rightward towards Dubai Bypass Road, and northward towards Al Khail Road and Business Bay Crossing.

As for the traffic at the interchange of Emirates Road with the Dubai-Hatta Road, it was converted rightward to the Dubai Bypass Road, and northward to Ras Al Khor Road and from there to various parts of the emirate.

Traffic at the interchanges of Rashidiya and Al Nahda on Emirates Road had also been converted rightward to Al Khawaneej Road, and northward to Beirut, Damascus and Al Ittihad Roads.

For his part, Hussain Al Banna, Assistant of RTA Emergency and Crises Team, said the RTA team had dealt with the instable weather condition since Saturday morning through deploying about 100 RTA employees and inspectors after a sandstorm struck in various locations to ensure the soundness of roads and traffic, as well as the effectiveness of various traffic systems and signage.

During the rain, the team, in co-ordination with traffic patrols, carried out traffic diversions at water accumulation spots. Water was sucked out through pumps that had already been in place at areas that witnessed water accumulation. The team increased the number of pumps in the locations that experienced high levels of water accumulation.

"A large number of water tanks have been used to pump out water from various parts of the emirate. All accumulated water has been cleared from various locations by late Saturday night.

"All roads of the emirate witnessed smooth traffic flow save Sharjah-bound Emirates Road, where traffic came to a standstill due to the massive water ponds that poured to the outskirts of Dubai from Sharjah.

"RTA has made strenuous efforts to pump out the water spilling from Sharjah where more than eight million gallons have been sucked out and transported in more than 300 trips on large tankers, till all accumulated water had been cleared by 1pm," said Al Banna.

170 traffic accidents in Dubai

Dubai Police registered yesterday 170 traffic accidents caused by rains, said Lt Colonel Omer Abdullah Al Shamsi, Director of the Command and Control Room at the General Department of Dubai Police Operations.

He said 133 accidents were minor, 16 medium and 21 serious accidents, indicating the Command and Control Room received 3,415 phone calls that day. Al Shamsi said chances of occurrence of traffic accidents are more likely during weather fluctuations. (Wam)

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