Children playing in the rain in Doha. PICTURES: Haroon/Jayan Orma
By Hamza Jilani/Staff Reporter
Qatar residents welcomed a generous rainfall accompanied by thunder and lightning yesterday, though it flooded many stretches of streets and roundabouts, making motoring a difficult task.
The weather office has forecast more rains today.
Throughout Doha, children were seen enjoying the shower which arrived all of a sudden at about 1pm and continued to pour intermittently until late in the evening. Hailstones also fell in some parts of the country. There was a significant drop in the day temperature though the level of humidity went up.
“This isn’t a place one would think of buying an umbrella and honestly, I’m glad I don’t have one. This is so refreshing!” said a bystander in Dafna. “Hey, how’s this for a rain dance!”
“It doesn’t rain often in Qatar. This is the best downpour I’ve witnessed for years. This is just great. Even the birds aren’t taking shelter,” said an excited American . “Rain in May is a double miracle!”
The Qatar Meteorology Department has warned of more thunder, lightning and rain with strong winds offshore. Skies should clear up only by tomorrow, Met sources said.
While it seemed like a time to celebrate for many, it also brought about some questions regarding the city’s drainage system.
“I just got my car washed!” laughed a woman. “But really, there are some parts of town where the water is taking a bit too long to drain off the streets.”
BELOW:
1) Vehicles plying on a waterlogged street. PICTURE: Jayan Orma
2) A four-wheel drive jumps the median on the Wakrah road. Sources said there were many road traffic accidents as a result of the downpour rain and the slippery roads. PICTURE: Najeer Ferokhe
3) A low-lying area is flooded with the rainwater. PICTURE: Najeer Ferokhe
4) Pellets of ice lying on the ground after a hailstone shower along with rains yesterday. PICTURE: Jayan Orma
