RAK Farmers Hit Badly by Heavy Rains

RAS AL KHAIMAH — The bad weather conditions including heavy rains and strong winds affected many farms in Ras Al Khaimah especially those near the valleys causing huge losses to 
the farmers.

More than 200 trees including palms, mangoes and other tress in the agricultural areas of Sha’am- in the northern parts of Ras Al Khaimah were uprooted during the rains that lashed the emirate on Tuesday. Soil erosion was also experienced in the farms near the mountains areas as the running water washed away the top soil and some plants.

Saeed Al Zhori, a resident of Sha’am said the poor weather conditions caused extensive damages to his farm and to the farms of other people in his area.

“Many palm trees and other crops on my farm were uprooted by the strong winds during the rains that lashed most parts of Ras Al Khaimah on Tuesday morning. Although we need the rains for our date farms, this year’s rain has been destructive and I have suffered huge losses,” said Al Zhori.

Another farmer Musa Kayed said the rainwater flooded some farms in his area and affected many plantations.

“The running water from the mountains washed away the top soils in some farms. Weaker plants were also uprooted and washed away by the water,” he added. Kayed noted that many farmers suffered great losses during these rains and called on the authorities to help compensate them for the damages.

The rains were also reported to have caused environmental damages in the remote areas of the emirate and some natural trees were damaged and others uprooted. The rains also caused some damages to the public facilities in the emirate including roads and the Department of Public works in Ras Al Khaimah has been working round the clock to fix many of the affected facilities.

On Saturday night, the floods washed away a large section of the road leading to Wadi Al Baih which forced the authorities to close the road. Abdullah Yusuf, general supervisor at the Department of Public Works and Services in RAK said since Sunday, a large number of water tankers have been used to pump out water from the streets and near people’s homes in the various areas of the emirate and also in the wadis.

(copied from Khaleej times)