UAE: Car oil leaks in flooded water areas heighten residents’ concerns

• Residents believe the slick, which spans nearly a kilometer in one direction, to be motor engine oil.
• Residents are concerned about the potential damage the oil slick could cause.
• The slick has sparked fears among residents, who are awaiting clean-up efforts and assessing their vehicles.

As the UAE begins to assess damages to homes and businesses and clear waterlogged roads after a rare rainstorm that inundated the country, residents in Sharjah now encounter an additional worry: an oil slick on a waterlogged road.

This new concern has emerged on Al Wahda Road, near the Al Khan interchange, exacerbating the anxieties of people already grappling with the impact of the April 16 storm. According to residents, the slick has caused oil to contaminate the flooded roads, further worsening the already challenging situation.

Ahmed, a Sharjah resident who had come to inspect his abandoned car on Al Wahda Road, said: “We observed a dark liquid floating on top of the stagnant water. When I touched the liquid, I felt it to be motor engine oil. The slick spans nearly a kilometer in one direction.”

He added, “We are worried, as a tiny spark can cause unimaginable damage.”

Fahad and another resident, who had come to inspect his vehicle, expressed concern about the additional damage the oil slick could cause.

“We have already suffered significant losses due to the flooding, and now we must consider the repercussions of the oil slick on both our vehicles and health,” said Fahad, who works in the automotive industry.

“The oil can potentially corrode the paint of cars abandoned on the streets, as motor oil acts as a thinner on car paint. Also, prolonged contact with the oil may cause skin disorder,” Fahad explained.

With hundreds of cars abandoned on the road and residents gathering to assess their vehicles, fear is mounting for further damage. They fear the consequences of the oil slick and await the clean-up efforts.

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