As residents across the UAE continue to deal with the aftermath of days of heavy rain, Dubai Police have issued 720 ‘To Whom It May Concern’ certificates for vehicles damaged by the weather.
The certificates, requested by affected vehicle owners since Monday, are designed to help motorists with insurance and repair procedures.
Applying for one is straightforward. Residents can submit a request through the Dubai Police website or smart app by selecting the “Natural Disasters” option under the Certificates Package and uploading photos of the damage.
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Once the request is filed, the vehicle must be taken to the nearest police station for inspection. After verification, the certificate is issued electronically — usually within one working day.
Authorities say the service aims to make the process smoother for residents dealing with the impact of the recent storms.
Four days of unstable weather across the UAE
The certificates follow four days of unstable weather, during which residents navigated flooded roads, heavy traffic and repeated safety warnings — with some vehicles even getting stranded in water that rose to window level.
Public services were also affected — Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority suspended bus services to Sharjah and Ajman, while Ras Al Khaimah announced remote work for government employees on March 27.
Rainfall far above annual averages
Some locations in the UAE saw very high levels of rainfall on Friday, the last day of a week of unstable weather.
Five locations each received over 226mm of rain during the recent weather system, which began on March 24:
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Jebel Yanas (Ras Al Khaimah) – 244mm
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Manama (Ajman) – 234.7mm
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Al Hayer (Al Ain) – 234.1mm
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Jebel Mebreh (Ras Al Khaimah) – 229.7mm
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Khatam Al Shaklah (Al Ain) – 226.6mm
Jebel Yanas, a rugged mountain camping spot about 20km from Ras Al Khaimah city, recorded the highest rainfall. Meanwhile, Manama — known for its farms and honey production — and Al Hayer, a desert area between Dubai and Al Ain, also saw intense downpours accompanied by thunder and lightning.
For context, the average rainfall received by the UAE in a year is 100mm. Despite the high totals, officials said the event was not comparable to the historic April 2024 floods, as the rainfall this time was spread out over several days and across different areas.
What’s next?
Authorities confirmed on Saturday that the unstable weather had come to an end.
However, forecasters say there is still a chance of scattered showers early next week, with light rainfall expected on Tuesday and Wednesday due to a new weather system.
Source: Khaleej Times