Floods in Dubai - my Lumina waterlogged EDIT : bye-bye V8

Steeroid · 16th January 2008, 21:06

Continuous rainfall over the last two days has resulted in several parts of the city getting inundated with flood water, several roads are underwater and motorists trying to find a way out have found themselves stalled in water.

One among those is yours truly. My Lumina stalled as I tried desperately to get out of the Al Qoz Industrial Area behind the Mall of the Emirates. Stayed there for nearly 2 hours till a kind Emirati chap stopped his Landcruiser, pulled out a tow-rope and pulled my car out. He even towed me to the Chevrolet Service Centre!!! This after several other jokers in fancy four-wheel drives had either driven past nonchalantly or had stopped to TAKE PICTURES of my car stuck in water! I showed them the finger while they snapped.

Tow trucks were simply not available. One tow truck that happened to be passing by stopped, and then the driver simply drove away because the water was too deep (and too cold!).

Meanwhile I also had to endure 7 hours in a traffic jam yesterday while trying to reach Ajman for a meeting. Of the 7 hours, 6.45 hours were spent negotiating a distance of 4 kilometers to the point where the road was waterlogged with empty tankers floating upside-down. This was on the Emirates road. Finally managed to squeeze through an illegal U-turn that some enterprising souls had managed to create by breaking the barricades between the two sets of lanes.

Over 1,500 accidents were reported in Dubai, and the city nearly came to a standstill as schools were shut for 2 days.

We also lost a colleague in one of those accidents as he was trying to get to Abu Dhabi from Dubai.

More news and pictures here:

Gulfnews: Downpour continues as Dubai receives record rainfall

Gulfnews: 1,500 traffic accidents reported in Dubai so far

Gulfnews: Rain-hit motorists search for number plates in puddles

Gulfnews: More heavy rain on the way, warn weathermen

Gulfnews: Agony continues as relentless rain floods the roads

nitrous · 16th January 2008, 21:10

Post Deleted by the Team-BHP Support : Please do NOT post in SMS / Slang language; other users of this community will greatly benefit from your posting in full and proper english.

Thanks

kpzen · 16th January 2008, 21:14

Oh..!!! Sad to hear about the car but i'm glad u are safe...

normally_crazy · 16th January 2008, 21:17

Wooah !! Steer - all well with you I hope. Sorry to hear about your colleague.

Hows the car now ? Estimates ? Damages ?

Damn and i thought these things only happened here. guess no one is safe from Nature's fury.

BaCkSeAtDrIVeR · 16th January 2008, 21:36

Once upon a time, there was this candidate at some election, who became so over confident that he voted for his opponent. He lost by just one vote.

This is happening to the Dubai administration now. The city is so well planned, all possible calamities were taken into consideration while providing the public amenities, but there was one thing they deliberately ignored - storm water drains!!! According to info I have the biggest consultancy firm is now gloating at the the public administration "we told you so!!!" The consultancy had recommended storm water drains on roads and several public buildings, but the proposal was shot down, saying that they have no rains, so why bother with storm water drains!! Now, they are paying the price.

shajufx · 16th January 2008, 22:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

According to info I have the biggest consultancy firm is now gloating at the the public administration "we told you so!!!" The consultancy had recommended storm water drains on roads and several public buildings, but the proposal was shot down, saying that they have no rains, so why bother with storm water drains!! Now, they are paying the price.

I had to read the post 3 times to understand that a consultancy firm warned dubai goverment ahead of time. First I thought backseatdriver owns the biggest consultancy firm in dubai, which prompted me to request for a high profile job too

. Buddy, please use commas without being stingy !! "A comma can kill a person" as the saying goes !

People working in dubai knows very well, city is not able to take any natural calamities regardless of its latest technology involvement in most of the projects. Fight against nature is possible only in movies and stories. Humans have not reached a stage where we can challenge God or Nature !

I have not heard from one of my collegues in dubai for many days, after reading this thread I am desperately trying to reach him. May God protect everyone !

Thad E Ginathom · 16th January 2008, 22:45

Good luck with the car and everything.

Chennai promises, every year, that the storm drains will be sorted out before the next year's rains.

snaronikar · 16th January 2008, 22:48

@Thad: Not only chennai even Bangalore too..

Nitin · 16th January 2008, 22:49

Sorry about your colleague,Steer.
Hope your car gets fixed soon.
I knew it had been raining a lot in Dubai,but I didn't realize it was this bad. God help everybody!

BaCkSeAtDrIVeR · 16th January 2008, 23:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by shajufx

I had to read the post 3 times to understand that a consultancy firm warned dubai goverment ahead of time. First I thought backseatdriver owns the biggest consultancy firm in dubai, which prompted me to request for a high profile job too

Me goes and hides!!!!

My apologies. What was quoted refers to the "information I have" and NOT the "consultancy firm I have".

sammyboy · 16th January 2008, 23:44

sad to hear that Steer. Take care

CaliforniaKnight · 17th January 2008, 00:41

Hey Steer, i somehow managed to sqeeze through the ponds in al quoz and ghusais....
today morning traffic was clear but i had to drive ma car through 5 ponds to reach home and the worst was in front of the Mercedes showroom (gargash).While crossing the 5th, some sort of smoke from the engine bay and the battery logo in the instrument cluster blinked. but i am having these fan belt sound now when i start.......hope its a better tomorow.

suren181 · 17th January 2008, 01:34

Steeroid, seems pretty bad Bro... Sorry to hear about your colleague, may his soul rest in peace.

Was glad to note that a localite stopped to help you. That was heartwarming though. God bless him too to have helped a fellow person in need.

Steeroid, I know am asking for too much but I have friends there and have been trying to contact them but no response. Could you by any chance update details? My friends are in Sharjah.

moralfibre · 17th January 2008, 02:03

Glad to know you got out of the mess. Hope your car recovers soon.

iraghava · 17th January 2008, 03:29

Sorry to hear about your colleague Santhosh, my condolences to his family. But happy to know you're OK & home safe, the car can be replaced any time but most of us can't be.

Take care & best of luck.

16th January 2008, 21:06	#1
Steeroid Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: N.A Posts: 7,046 Thanked: 2,751 Times	Floods in Dubai - my Lumina waterlogged EDIT : bye-bye V8 Continuous rainfall over the last two days has resulted in several parts of the city getting inundated with flood water, several roads are underwater and motorists trying to find a way out have found themselves stalled in water. One among those is yours truly. My Lumina stalled as I tried desperately to get out of the Al Qoz Industrial Area behind the Mall of the Emirates. Stayed there for nearly 2 hours till a kind Emirati chap stopped his Landcruiser, pulled out a tow-rope and pulled my car out. He even towed me to the Chevrolet Service Centre!!! This after several other jokers in fancy four-wheel drives had either driven past nonchalantly or had stopped to TAKE PICTURES of my car stuck in water! I showed them the finger while they snapped. Tow trucks were simply not available. One tow truck that happened to be passing by stopped, and then the driver simply drove away because the water was too deep (and too cold!). Meanwhile I also had to endure 7 hours in a traffic jam yesterday while trying to reach Ajman for a meeting. Of the 7 hours, 6.45 hours were spent negotiating a distance of 4 kilometers to the point where the road was waterlogged with empty tankers floating upside-down. This was on the Emirates road. Finally managed to squeeze through an illegal U-turn that some enterprising souls had managed to create by breaking the barricades between the two sets of lanes. Over 1,500 accidents were reported in Dubai, and the city nearly came to a standstill as schools were shut for 2 days. We also lost a colleague in one of those accidents as he was trying to get to Abu Dhabi from Dubai. More news and pictures here: Gulfnews: Downpour continues as Dubai receives record rainfall Gulfnews: 1,500 traffic accidents reported in Dubai so far Gulfnews: Rain-hit motorists search for number plates in puddles Gulfnews: More heavy rain on the way, warn weathermen Gulfnews: Agony continues as relentless rain floods the roads
	() Thanks

16th January 2008, 21:10	#2
nitrous Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: UAE/Lon/Madras Posts: 6,965 Thanked: 325 Times View My Garage	Post Deleted by the Team-BHP Support : Please do NOT post in SMS / Slang language; other users of this community will greatly benefit from your posting in full and proper english. Thanks Last edited by GTO : 23rd January 2008 at 10:04.
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16th January 2008, 21:14	#3
kpzen Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Faridabad Posts: 5,610 Thanked: 1,876 Times View My Garage	Oh..!!! Sad to hear about the car but i'm glad u are safe...
	() Thanks

16th January 2008, 21:17	#4
normally_crazy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 4,369 Thanked: 528 Times View My Garage	Wooah !! Steer - all well with you I hope. Sorry to hear about your colleague. Hows the car now ? Estimates ? Damages ? Damn and i thought these things only happened here. guess no one is safe from Nature's fury.
	() Thanks

16th January 2008, 21:36	#5
BaCkSeAtDrIVeR BANNED Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Kochi Posts: 2,522 Thanked: 752 Times	Once upon a time, there was this candidate at some election, who became so over confident that he voted for his opponent. He lost by just one vote. This is happening to the Dubai administration now. The city is so well planned, all possible calamities were taken into consideration while providing the public amenities, but there was one thing they deliberately ignored - storm water drains!!! According to info I have the biggest consultancy firm is now gloating at the the public administration "we told you so!!!" The consultancy had recommended storm water drains on roads and several public buildings, but the proposal was shot down, saying that they have no rains, so why bother with storm water drains!! Now, they are paying the price.
	() Thanks

16th January 2008, 22:45	#7
Thad E Ginathom Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 11,013 Thanked: 26,529 Times	Good luck with the car and everything. Chennai promises, every year, that the storm drains will be sorted out before the next year's rains.
	() Thanks

16th January 2008, 22:48	#8
snaronikar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 2,845 Thanked: 29 Times View My Garage	@Thad: Not only chennai even Bangalore too..
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16th January 2008, 22:49	#9
Nitin Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 3,294 Thanked: 20 Times View My Garage	Sorry about your colleague,Steer. Hope your car gets fixed soon. I knew it had been raining a lot in Dubai,but I didn't realize it was this bad. God help everybody!
	() Thanks

16th January 2008, 23:44	#11
sammyboy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ggn/Dehradun Posts: 1,842 Thanked: 521 Times View My Garage	sad to hear that Steer. Take care
	() Thanks

17th January 2008, 00:41	#12
CaliforniaKnight BHPian Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: IND + DXB Posts: 980 Thanked: 141 Times View My Garage	Hey Steer, i somehow managed to sqeeze through the ponds in al quoz and ghusais.... today morning traffic was clear but i had to drive ma car through 5 ponds to reach home and the worst was in front of the Mercedes showroom (gargash).While crossing the 5th, some sort of smoke from the engine bay and the battery logo in the instrument cluster blinked. but i am having these fan belt sound now when i start.......hope its a better tomorow.
	() Thanks

17th January 2008, 01:34	#13
suren181 BHPian Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 850 Thanked: 11 Times View My Garage	Steeroid, seems pretty bad Bro... Sorry to hear about your colleague, may his soul rest in peace. Was glad to note that a localite stopped to help you. That was heartwarming though. God bless him too to have helped a fellow person in need. Steeroid, I know am asking for too much but I have friends there and have been trying to contact them but no response. Could you by any chance update details? My friends are in Sharjah.
	() Thanks

17th January 2008, 02:03	#14
moralfibre Team-BHP Support Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: MH-12 Posts: 8,452 Thanked: 13,975 Times	Glad to know you got out of the mess. Hope your car recovers soon.
	() Thanks

17th January 2008, 03:29	#15
iraghava Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Bhaiyyaland Posts: 8,033 Thanked: 265 Times View My Garage	Sorry to hear about your colleague Santhosh, my condolences to his family. But happy to know you're OK & home safe, the car can be replaced any time but most of us can't be. Take care & best of luck.
	() Thanks