Pakistan offers condolences to UAE as deadly floods kill seven

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office on Saturday expressed grief over the loss of lives as heavy rains in the United Arab Emirates led to floods earlier this week, leaving seven people dead.
Temperature in the UAE can soar beyond 40 degrees Celsius in July, and the country’s east coast can also be prone to the monsoon season. Earlier this week, eastern UAE districts witnessed heavy downpours that triggered flooding, submerging several neighborhoods in the regions.
On Friday, a senior official of the Arab country’s interior ministry, Ali Al-Tunaiji, confirmed seven people of Asian nationalities had died in the floods.
The foreign office in Islamabad said in a statement that five of the seven people were Pakistanis.
“The Government and people of Pakistan extend heartfelt condolences to the Government and people of the United Arab Emirates on the damage caused by heavy rains and floods in the Emirates, resulting in the loss of precious lives including five Pakistani nationals,” it said.
The foreign office also expressed deep sympathies with the families of those who were killed and prayed for the swift recovery of the injured.
“Pakistan stands in solidarity with the fraternal people and Government of the United Arab Emirates,” the statement said, adding the Pakistani embassy in Abu Dhabi and its consulate general in Dubai were in contact with the families of flood-affected Pakistani nationals.
The administration in Islamabad said it had directed its diplomatic missions to closely coordinate with local authorities to extend full support to Pakistani nationals in the UAE.