Thundery showers as Bahrain bids adieu to 2021

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain embraced 2022 with high hopes and vibrant economic plans, as good news from South Africa - the first country to pronounce itself past its Omicron wave - brought hope for a joyous New Year.

As Bahrainis bid adieu to 2021, light to moderate showers drenched various parts of the Kingdom but failed to dampen the celebratory mood. Several people also took to social media platforms to post pictures and share their delight in welcoming the new year amid showers.

“It’s raining. Beautiful weather” wrote Twitter user @tariqtalha. “Rain in Bahrain is a bad girl that does it well because it lives fast and dies young,” wrote another user, @ayeshateeee, on Twitter. Meanwhile, The General Directorate of Traffic issued a warning to road users to remain cautious to ensure safety.

The Meteorological Department of the Ministry of Transport and Communications had earlier issued warnings for heavy rain and strong wind of up to 13 to 35 knots with thunderstorms. Australians were the first to bid farewell to 2021 with a traditional fireworks display over Sydney harbour.

Thanks to Omicron, the New Year began its annual roll from East to West quietly - with no official firework display in Auckland, New Zealand. Sydney opened the global celebration in vintage style, with its usual spectacular pyrotechnics reflected in the harbour below the Sydney Opera House.

But there were no displays above many of the world’s traditional landmarks, with fireworks called off over Paris’s Arc de Triomphe, London’s Big Ben and the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur.