Ras Al Khaimah’s Public Services Department announced on Saturday, October 24, that all beaches in the emirate would be closed to the public until further notice. The decision follows an oil spill from a tanker in UAE waters that had already led to beach closures in Umm Al Quwain and parts of Sharjah.

According to a notice issued through Ras Al Khaimah Police, the beach closures took effect on Saturday. The Public Services Department urged residents and tourists to avoid visiting beaches for their own safety and to follow the instructions of the relevant authorities.

The department said the reopening date would be announced later. However, the notice did not specify a reason for the decision.

The closure of Ras Al Khaimah’s beaches was announced one day after UAE authorities closed all beaches in Umm Al Quwain due to pollution caused by the tanker oil spill. Sharjah authorities also closed Al Hamriyah Beach as a precautionary measure.

The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment said efforts to contain the pollution and clean up affected areas were continuing. The ministry also confirmed that unpleasant odours reported in Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain were caused by oil pollution, but posed no risk to residents’ health.

With the closure of Ras Al Khaimah’s beaches, access restrictions are now in place across three northern emirates. However, Ras Al Khaimah authorities have yet to confirm whether the latest decision is directly linked to the oil spill.