Filipinos in UAE recall harrowing flood experience

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — In the face of adversity, the resilience of Filipinos shines brightly, especially following the unprecedented flooding incident that hit the United Arab Emirates recently.

Amidst the challenges posed by the impact of the heavy rains and the subsequent flooding that occurred, Filipinos have once again demonstrated their unwavering spirit of “bayanihan,” the deeply rooted tradition of communal unity and support.

Apart from the bayanihan spirit, Filipinos proved that no challenges will ever dampen their spirits to rise above every hardship and misfortune.

Last April 16, many parts of the UAE were submerged in flood for several hours brought about by the record-breaking torrential rain, the heaviest the country has experienced in 75 years.

Thousands of expatriates, including Filipinos, were stranded as floods disrupted road traffic, grounded flights, and halted many public transports.

Jonathan Albao, 36 years old and a pest control technician, told GMA News Online that he and his team were stranded near the Mall of Emirates in Barsha, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, for almost eight hours after the road was rendered impassable by the flooding.

Albao, who hails from Cavite, said they were on their way back to their accommodation around 10 p.m. when they got stuck in Al Barsha Road. To evade further submerging the company vehicle in the already waist-deep waters, the driver was compelled to navigate the van into the gutter, mitigating the risk of additional damage amid the heavy rains.

“It was already 10 p.m. where we couldn’t go anywhere anymore because the flood was everywhere. The roads were closed and many vehicles were stranded. Our driver targeted the gutter to save further damage to the vehicle. We were stranded until 6:30 in the morning the following day and we were grateful that some young Arabs help us,” Albao said.

Soaked up to his waist due to the heavy rain, Albao said he and his team slept in the van while waiting for the flood to subside. On the following day, some Arab youths helped them pull the van from the gutter and assisted them in making their vehicle start again, he added.

Meanwhile, Beverly, an overseas Filipino worker who is based in Dubai for 19 years, told GMA News Online that the recent rain was undoubtedly the worst she experienced in her almost two-decades living in the UAE.

Beverly, who requested anonymity, said she and her colleagues were stranded in the road for more than 10 hours. She told GMA News Online that they left the office, located in Al Barsha, around 6 p.m. As the floodwaters on Al Khail Road reached to waist-level high, causing a backlog of cars, they made the decision to turn around in search of alternative route.

On their way back to Al Barsha, they decided to pick their pregnant colleague and her spouse near their office after the couple couldn’t find a cab. For three hours, they were stuck in the traffic in Al Barsha area. By this time, the water was almost one-meter deep, making it even impossible to see the street bollards. 

“It was the first time we have experienced this kind of chaos for 19 years as an OFW. Too many people were stranded walking in the aisle of Sheik Zayed Road, heading towards DWTC. Numerous automobiles became stuck and piled up, submerged in the water without their drivers. We suspected that the drivers had abandoned their vehicle in anticipation of the persistent rain,” she said.

Beverly, a mother and an HR manager in a construction company in Dubai, said after they dropped their pregnant colleague near the Mall of Emirates, two Filipinas who came from Al Nakheel Palm Jumeirah knocked on their car window to ask for a ride. 

Out of compassion, she and her colleague didn’t hesitate to take in two more passengers. Their goal was to safely send everyone home while praying they could successfully traverse the flooded roads without getting stuck.

“Finally, we have found a way to exit D92 (Jumeirah Road). We dropped off the two women in Deira, as well as a colleague from Etisalat Metro, who slept there overnight, and from Lulu Village. As Al Nahda Street appeared to be surrounded by ponds, I was the last person to be dropped. We would like to express our gratitude to our colleague for his resolute efforts in ensuring that we all arrived at our residence in safety,” she said.

The HR professional said she reached her home at around 4 a.m. She also said her daughter was also stranded in the Financial Center in Shekih Zayed Road, but fortunately a Filipino driver of a pet van took her in along with other passengers.

Asked what realization she had in the incident, Beverly said that the innate characteristic of Filipinos to help prevails.

“It is everyone's decision to help our fellow kabayan walking on the streets barefooted in wet clothing. Kawawa po,” she added.

Meanwhile, Billy Yunting Azarcon, an HSE professional in a construction company, said he couldn’t forget the heavy rains accompanied by lighting bolts and giant hailstorms that battered many homes last week.

 

Azarcon, who hails from Cebu, said his car was damaged by the giant-sized hailstorms that pounded his vehicle causing big cracks earlier last month. The HSE professional, who lives in Abu Dhabi City, travels to his workplace in Al Ain for almost two hours every day, six days a week.

Azarcon told GMA News Online when the heavy rain started to strike Monday night, April 15, until the following day, he got worried for his family who is based in the capital.

“The hailstorm that accompanied the heavy rain brought so much damage to my car. But that’s not what I got so worried about; I was thinking of my family back in the capital. Thank God the flood in Abu Dhabi subsided immediately and there was no hailstorm there. There’s always rainbow after the storm and I still feel blessed. [Me] and my family are safe, that’s all that matter most,” he said.

Cyrel Manzano, a bid technical officer in a construction company, also said she couldn’t believe that the water made it through their flat even if they were living in a high-rise building in Nahjda Street in Abu Dhabi.

Manzano told GMA News Online that she got worried but grateful that the floods in Abu Dhabi subsided immediately.

Jennifer Cavada, an administration officer in a road contracting company, also praised the UAE government of their immediate action to suspend classes immediately even before the rain hit the country. Federal governments employees were allowed to work from home while private companies were given the option for remote work while school turned to online classes the whole week.

Jennifer’s colleague, Irish Verano, an office engineer, also said that her husband’s company was quick to respond to the advisory issued by the government as they were asked to work from home for two days in anticipation of the heavy rain.

Verano said this kind of gesture from some companies in Abu Dhabi was very laudable as it helped employees cope with the challenges posed by unstable weather condition.

“My husband was among the lucky employees where their company has opted for remote work. They immediately received an email from their HR department to stay at home,” she said. –KBK, GMA Integrated News