UAE Says It Has “Learned Great Lessons” By Allocating $544 Million For Rain Repairs

Dubai: Following record-breaking rains that caused severe flooding and brought the oil-rich Gulf state to a stop last week, the United Arab Emirates said on Wednesday that $544 million will be allocated to rebuild Emirati residents’ houses.

Following a cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum said, “We learned great lessons in dealing with severe rains.” He also announced that ministers had agreed to “two billion dirhams to deal with damage to the homes of citizens.”

The declaration on Wednesday came more than a week after the nation of deserts was battered by an unparalleled flood that turned streets into rivers and caused major disruptions to Dubai Airport, the busiest airport in the world for foreign travelers.

“Among the seven sheikhdoms in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai was one of the worst affected. A ministerial committee was assigned to follow up on this file… and disburse compensation in cooperation with the rest of the federal and local authorities,” said Sheikh Mohammed.

At least four individuals were killed in the rainstorm, which was the worst the UAE had seen since records started 75 years ago. Three of the victims were Filipino laborers, and one was an was an Emirati. An official toll has not been disclosed by UAE officials.

Sheikh Mohammed claimed in a post on X, the previous Twitter platform, that cabinet members have established a second committee to monitor infrastructure damage and suggest fixes.

“The situation was unprecedented in its severity but we are a country that learns from every experience,” he said.

It was “highly likely,” according to climatologist Friederike Otto, an expert in determining how global warming affects severe weather events, that the downpour “was made heavier by human-caused climate change.”

“Not acceptable.”

According to the official Oman News Agency, the storm killed at least 21 people when it made landfall in Oman on April 14.

Then, before abating last Wednesday, it pummeled the United Arab Emirates, showering the federal monarchy—which is home to 90% of expatriate residents—with rain that might last up to two years.

However, days later, the glamorous center of Dubai—which was hailed as a picture-perfect city—saw significant disruption due to flooded houses and blocked highways.

2,155 flights were canceled, 115 were diverted, and the airport in Dubai did not reach full capacity again until Tuesday.

Prominent Emirati analyst Abdulkhaleq Abdulla said on X, “We must acknowledge… that there has been an unreasonable and unacceptable deficiency and collapse in services and crisis management.”

“We hope that this will not be repeated in the future,” he said, issuing a rare public censure.

With all main roads open to traffic and public transportation operating at full capacity, Dubai is now mostly returning to its usual pace.

Yet complete recuperation is still a few days away for British resident Matthew Faddy, 56, of the economic metropolis of the United Arab Emirates.

The water broke through a half-meter wall in his yard last week, flooding his ground-floor flat next to a lake.

“Finally, the water has come down substantially but it was  only really yesterday that it started to come down,” he said to AFP on Wednesday.

Composer and sound designer Faddy said, “At its worst, the water was nearly chest-high in the apartment and now, from what I can see, it’s probably below the knee, at shin height.”

“I think it will probably be another week before the water is gone.”