Ramadan 2020: Dubai Police set up Eid Al Fitr cannons at 6 locations
In a statement issued on Thursday, Dubai Police said that all preparations for Eid celebrations during the holiday were made.
The cannons – to announce beginning of Eid Al Fitr – will be placed at: Zabeel mosque, Atlantis in Jumeirah The Palm, and Eid prayer areas in Nad Al Sheba, Al Karama, Al Baraha, and Nad Al Hamar.
Major General Abdullah Ali Al Ghaithi, Director of Organisations Protective Security and Emergency, said that Eid cannon firing is a part of UAE’s local traditions – as people in olden times used to follow the cannons to know the timings of Iftar during Ramadan, or Eid Al Fitr timings.
“However, people still continue to practice the tradition.”
He added that the public will not be allowed at the premises due to coronavirus (Covid-19) precautionary measures, and that they can instead watch the cannon firings on television at home.
Earlier Dr. Farida Al Hosani, the spokesperson of the health sector, said that the UAE’s response to the Corona pandemic from the beginning was characterised by a focus on testing, investigation and early detection of infections, which helped in rapid intervention and limiting the spread of the virus and thus contributing to controlling the spread of the epidemic.
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, has also appealed to people to stay safe, be responsible and follow social distancing guidelines, especially during the last days of Ramadan and Eid Al Fitr, to stem the spread of COVID-19.
