News
Lankans in UAE adapt to sirens and falling debris
View(s):By Dilushi Wijesinghe
As Iranian missiles and drones targeted military and infrastructure facilities in the United Arab Emirates, fear-stricken Sri Lankans shared their horrifying experiences with the Sunday Times.
They recounted their stories hours before Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian apologised to neighbouring states, saying Tehran would not attack them “unless attacked first”.
UAE-based Sri Lankan expats noted that although a sense of normalcy had returned, the sound of sirens and falling debris from intercepted missiles left many shaken, especially in the initial days.
A Sri Lankan national who did not want to be named said the first night of the strikes was deeply unsettling.
“It was really terrifying on the very first day,” she said. “I live in Dubai, but the first strike was in Abu Dhabi. There were loud bangs. I have a relative in Abu Dhabi, and when I checked on her, it was really frightening.”
The calm and orderly life in the UAE was shattered for many when the attacks happened, she said.
“We get an alert on our phones instructing us how to stay safe and where to take shelter, and then we hear loud sirens.”
Residents are advised to remain indoors and follow safety guidelines.
While the initial days caused widespread anxiety, many residents have gradually resumed their normal routines.
“At the beginning it was very worrying, but now most people have learnt to live with it,” she said, adding that people living close to targeted embassies have been evacuated.
However, the fear has not entirely disappeared. “The frightening part is the sound when the missiles are intercepted. Debris can fall anywhere,” she said, recalling an incident when fragments fell close to her home.
“The debris fell near my house. People came out of their residences, and some were crying because they had never seen anything like this before. For about 20 minutes we were standing outside not knowing what to do.”
Residents also reported panic buying in the early days of the war. “People were buying groceries in bulk. One night when I went to the grocery store, it was almost empty. Later the government informed people not to panic-buy,” said another Sri Lankan who also requested anonymity.
She added that many expatriates were also distressed by travel restrictions. “I was upset because even in an emergency, we cannot leave the country since the airports are closed.”
Another Sri Lankan resident in Abu Dhabi said schools in some areas had temporarily closed as a precaution. “My child’s school has been closed since Monday after the airstrikes. Even on Wednesday there were alerts,” he said.
He noted that air defence systems intercept missiles mid-air, reducing the immediate threat to residents. “They destroy the missiles in the air, so there is no foreseeable threat right now. Only debris falls and certain areas are affected, but generally we are safe,” he said. He also recalled a tense night when residents stayed awake for hours following alerts. “One night there were air strikes around midnight, and we stayed awake outside until about 3 a.m. This is not something we have experienced before.”
However, the uncertainty has left many residents uneasy. “We usually get alerts about five minutes before an airstrike happens. They tell us how to stay safe, but we don’t always get detailed news about incidents that occur around us,” another Sri Lankan expat in Kuwait said.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism has established a 24-hour emergency response unit to coordinate matters relating to Sri Lankans in the Middle East.
The unit has been set up primarily to ensure the safety and wellbeing of Sri Lankan nationals in the region, where nearly one million Sri Lankans live and work.
Families seeking assistance can contact the unit through the ministry or the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, which has also activated its hotline to address concerns from workers and their relatives.
The contact details are:
Emergency Response Unit, Ministry of Foreign Affairs : +94117445641 / +94112207250
WhatsApp : +94777189552
Email : emergency.sl@mfa. gov.lk
Consular Affairs Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs : +94742595546
Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment : +94719802822
Hotline : 1989
The best way to say that you found the home of your dreams is by finding it on Hitad.lk. We have listings for apartments for sale or rent in Sri Lanka, no matter what locale you're looking for! Whether you live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna and more - we've got them all!