Sharjah prepares 1,100 staff, 580 tankers and mobile pumps to deal with rainy season

Sharjah is preparing for the rainy season by readying about 1,100 municipal employees, 580 tankers and 180 mobile pumps as part of a comprehensive emergency plan to prevent flooding and maintain road access during heavy rainfall.

Sharjah Municipality announced it has completed preparations and enhanced teams' readiness to address changing weather, including heavy rainfall and water accumulation across the emirate.

Measures include operational plans, technical equipment, and specialised machinery to accelerate emergency response, maintain traffic flow and protect lives, property and infrastructure.

“Sharjah Municipality divided the city into five operational sectors, each managed by a qualified team, to ensure comprehensive coverage and rapid response to affected areas,” said Obaid Al Tunaiji, director general of the municipality and chairman of the Higher Committee for Rain Emergencies.

Teams will co-ordinate and provide mutual support as require, he added.

“Preparations have included the maintenance and cleaning of stormwater drainage networks, servicing pumping stations, expanding existing water collection ponds and constructing additional ones in several areas,” Mr Al Tunaiji said.

Khalifa Al Suwaidi, director of technical services and deputy chairman of the Higher Committee of Rain Emergencies, said the municipality had allocated 1,100 specialised personnel, including committee heads, engineers, technicians, supervisors and support staff.

“We provided 180 of the municipality's own water tankers, alongside 400 tankers from private sectors, as well as 180 mobile pumps of different sizes,” said Mr Al Suwaidi.

“Five additional innovative dam pumps have also been deployed to improve the speed and efficiency of removing accumulated rainwater.”

The municipality has built 70 rainwater collection ponds and cleaned out 40,000 drains as part of efforts to improve capacity and reduce flooding risks.

Nine additional pumping stations have been installed on Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, Al Wahda Street, Jamal Abdul Nasser Street and Al Dhaid Road, with a total drainage capacity of up to 1,200 cubic metres per hour.

Additional pumps and drainage pipelines have been installed in tunnels, connecting Al Suyoh suburb to existing drainage network, while another pumping line has been installed in Al Blaida.

Water tankers and pumps will be distributed across residential areas and roads based on the severity of water accumulation.

Recovery vehicles have been allocated to tow cars that break down or become stranded in the event of floodwater.

Community members can call 993 to report damage or lodge complaints during bad weather.